Optically tunable catalytic cancer therapy using enzyme-like chiral plasmonic nanoparticles

Haeun Kang, Subin Yu, Ryeong Myeong Kim, Youngbi Kim, Sang Chul Shin, Dohyub Jang, Jeong Hyun Han, Sugyeong Hong, Eunice EunKyeong Kim, Sun Hee Kim, Dong June Ahn, Jeong Woo Han (), Sehoon Kim (), Ki Tae Nam (), Luke P. Lee () and Dong Ha Kim ()
Additional contact information
Haeun Kang: Ewha Womans University
Subin Yu: Ewha Womans University
Ryeong Myeong Kim: Seoul National University
Youngbi Kim: Pohang University of Science and Technology
Sang Chul Shin: Korea Institute of Science and Technology
Dohyub Jang: Korea University
Jeong Hyun Han: Seoul National University
Sugyeong Hong: Korea Basic Science Institute
Eunice EunKyeong Kim: Korea Institute of Science and Technology
Sun Hee Kim: Korea Basic Science Institute
Dong June Ahn: Korea University
Jeong Woo Han: Seoul National University
Sehoon Kim: Korea University
Ki Tae Nam: Seoul National University
Luke P. Lee: Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Dong Ha Kim: Ewha Womans University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract Cascade enzymatic reactions in living organisms are fundamental reaction mechanisms in coordinating various complex biochemical processes such as metabolism, signal transduction, and gene regulation. Many studies have attempted to mimic cascade reactions using nanoparticles with enzyme-like activity; however, precisely tuning each reaction within complex networks to enhance the catalytic activity remains challenging. Here, we present enzyme-like chiral plasmonic nanoparticles for optically tunable catalytic cancer therapy. We create chiral plasmonic nanoparticles with glucose oxidase (GOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities, followed by introducing circularly polarized light (CPL). By sequentially activating GOD and POD reactions with right-handed CPL (RC) followed by left-handed CPL (LC), we achieve 1.25- and 1.9-fold enhanced catalytic performance (overall 1.3 times enhancement) compared to non-controlled cascade reactions by creating an optimal acidic environment for the subsequent reaction. Moreover, the D-Au nanoparticle shows a 2-fold higher binding selectivity to D-glucose substrates, attributed to chirality matching. In both cell studies and male mouse models, sequentially irradiated groups (RC followed by LC) exhibit the highest radical generation and the most efficient treatment outcomes compared to the other systems under different irradiation conditions. We believe that our system holds strong potential for medical applications, suggesting a promising platform for catalytic therapy.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57716-7

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