Photocatalyzing CO2 to CO for Enhanced Cancer Therapy

• Published in: Advanced materials (Weinheim) 2017-11, Vol.29 (44), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Zheng, Di‐Wei, Li, Bin, Li, Chu‐Xin, Xu, Lu, Fan, Jin‐Xuan, Lei, Qi, Zhang, Xian‐Zheng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Apoptosis; Biocompatibility; Biosynthesis; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Carbon dioxide; Carbon monoxide; chemotherapies; Chemotherapy; Doxorubicin; In vivo methods and tests; Materials science; Mitochondria; Nanomaterials; Oxidative stress; photocatalysis; Proteomics; Toxicity
• ISSN: 0935-9648; 1521-4095
• DOI: 10.1002/adma.201703822

Continuous exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) can sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapy while protect normal cells from apoptosis. The Janus face of CO thus provides an ideal strategy for cancer therapy. Here, a photocatalytic nanomaterial (HisAgCCN) is introduced to transform endogenous CO2 to CO for improving cancer therapy in vivo. The CO production rate of HisAgCCN reaches to 65 µmol h−1 gmat−1, which can significantly increase the cytotoxicity of anticancer drug (doxorubicin, DOX) by 70%. Interestingly, this study finds that HisAgCCN can enhance mitochondria biogenesis and aggravate oxidative stress in cancer cells, whereas protect normal cells from chemotherapy‐induced apoptosis as well. Proteomics and metabolomics studies reveal that HisAgCCN can enhance mitochondria biogenesis and aggravate oxidative stress in cancer cells specifically. In vivo studies indicate that HisAgCCN/DOX combination therapy presents a synergetic tumor inhibition, which might provide a new direction for clinical cancer therapy. A photocatalytic nanomaterial (HisAgCCN) transforming endogenous CO2 to CO is synthesized for improving cancer chemotherapy in vivo. CO produced through photocatalysis can enhance mitochondria biogenesis and aggravate oxidative stress in cancer cells, whereas protect normal cells from chemotherapy‐induced apoptosis as well. HisAgCCN/DOX combination therapy may provide a new direction for cancer therapy.