Genetically engineered magnetic nanocages for cancer magneto-catalytic theranostics
Yang Zhang, Xiaoyong Wang, Chengchao Chu, Zijian Zhou, Biao‐Qi Chen, Xin Pang, Gan Lin, Huirong Lin, Yuxin Guo, En Ren, Peng Lv, Yesi Shi, Qingbing Zheng, Xiaohui Yan, Xiaoyuan Chen, Gang Liu
Abstract
The clinical applications of magnetic hyperthermia therapy (MHT) have been largely hindered by the poor magnetic-to-thermal conversion efficiency of MHT agents. Herein, we develop a facile and efficient strategy for engineering encapsulin-produced magnetic iron oxide nanocomposites (eMIONs) via a green biomineralization procedure. We demonstrate that eMIONs have excellent magnetic saturation and remnant magnetization properties, featuring superior magnetic-to-thermal conversion efficiency with an ultrahigh specific absorption rate of 2390 W/g to overcome the critical issues of MHT. We also show that eMIONs act as a nanozyme and have enhanced catalase-like activity in the presence of an alternative magnetic field, leading to tumor angiogenesis inhibition with a corresponding sharp decrease in the expression of HIF-1α. The inherent excellent magnetic-heat capability, coupled with catalysis-triggered tumor suppression, allows eMIONs to provide an MRI-guided magneto-catalytic combination therapy, which may open up a new avenue for bench-to-bed translational research of MHT.