Self-triggered thermoelectric nanoheterojunction for cancer catalytic and immunotherapy
Yuan Xue, Yong Kang, Jinrui Dong, Ruiyan Li, Jiamin Ye, Yueyue Fan, Jingwen Han, Junhui Yu, Guangjian Ni, Xiaoyuan Ji, Dong Ming
Abstract
Abstract The exogenous excitation requirement and electron-hole recombination are the key elements limiting the application of catalytic therapies. Here a tumor microenvironment (TME)-specific self-triggered thermoelectric nanoheterojunction (Bi 0.5 Sb 1.5 Te 3 /CaO 2 nanosheets, BST/CaO 2 NSs) with self-built-in electric field facilitated charge separation is fabricated. Upon exposure to TME, the CaO 2 coating undergoes rapid hydrolysis, releasing Ca 2+ , H 2 O 2 , and heat. The resulting temperature difference on the BST NSs initiates a thermoelectric effect, driving reactive oxygen species production. H 2 O 2 not only serves as a substrate supplement for ROS generation but also dysregulates Ca 2+ channels, preventing Ca 2+ efflux. This further exacerbates calcium overload-mediated therapy. Additionally, Ca 2+ promotes DC maturation and tumor antigen presentation, facilitating immunotherapy. It is worth noting that the CaO 2 NP coating hydrolyzes very slowly in normal cells, releasing Ca 2+ and O 2 without causing any adverse effects. Tumor-specific self-triggered thermoelectric nanoheterojunction combined catalytic therapy, ion interference therapy, and immunotherapy exhibit excellent antitumor performance in female mice.