A metal-organic framework functionalized CaO2-based cascade nanoreactor induces synergistic cuproptosis/ferroptosis and Ca2+ overload-mediated mitochondrial damage for enhanced sono-chemodynamic immunotherapy

Abstract

Cuproptosis is an emerging form of programmed cell death and shows enormous prospect in cancer treatment. Excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), metal ion accumulation, and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle collapse are pivotal elements in the triggering of cell death via mitochondrial pathways. Herein, a cascade nanoreactor CaCuZC has been constructed by incorporating nanosonosensitizer IR780 carbon dots (IR780 CD) and calcium peroxide (CaO₂) into metal-organic frameworks (MOF) for synergistic cuproptosis–ferroptosis and Ca²⁺overload mediated immunotherapy. Within tumor cells, CaCuZC dissociates into CaO₂, Cu²⁺and sonosensitizer IR780 CD. The decomposition of CaO₂ could generate H₂O₂ to strengthen the Cu²⁺-based chemodynamic therapy and Ca²⁺overload induces amplified intracellular oxidative stress, thus leading to mitochondrial dysfunction. As a result, the combination of Cu²⁺and Ca²⁺ overload together induce cascade mitochondrial damage. Moreover, the sonosensitizer IR780 CD generates ROS under ultrasound irradiation to amplify intracellular oxidative stress. In addition, the overloaded Cu²⁺ released from CaCuZC leads to the aggregation of lipoylated protein dihydrolipoamide S-acetyltransferase, thus resulting in cuproptosis. Furthermore, ferroptosis could been concomitantly induced by CaCuZC with intracellular glutathione (GSH) consumption and lipid peroxidation (LPO) accumulation. The cuproptosis–ferroptosis and Ca²⁺overload-enhanced synergistic therapy also activates robust immunogenic cell death. CaCuZC enhances the infiltration and activation of tumor-specific cytotoxic T cells to transform a “cold” tumor into a “hot” tumor, activating the anti-tumor immune response. This study provides a cascade of mitochondrial damage strategy for triggering cuproptosis–ferroptosis and Ca²⁺overload-enhanced immunotherapy and achieving improved therapeutic effects.

Statement of significance

To improve the efficacy of tumor immunotherapy, a cascade nanoreactor CaCuZC was successfully constructed based on a self-assembly strategy for cuproptosis–ferroptosis and Ca²⁺ overload mediated immunotherapy. Upon decomposition within the acidic and GSH-overexpressing tumor microenvironment, CaCuZC released CaO₂ and Cu²⁺ and sonosensitizer IR780 CD. The CaO₂ further produced H₂O₂/O₂ and Ca²⁺ in a weakly acidic environment to strengthen the Cu²⁺-based CDT and IR780 CD-mediated SDT, respectively. The overload copper ions not only led to cuproptosis, but also efficiently induced ferroptosis. The cuproptosis–ferroptosis and Ca²⁺overload-enhanced synergistic therapy also activates robust immunogenic cell death. This study presents a cascade of mitochondrial damage strategy for cuproptosis–ferroptosis and Ca²⁺overload-enhanced immunotherapy.