Multifunctional Nanomaterial Simultaneously Performs Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment, and Immune Activation

Cancer treatments, including surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, have significant limitations. These treatments not only target cancerous areas but also damage healthy tissues, causing side effects that can severely affect patients’ quality of life. Additionally, the treatment often fails to precisely target cancer cells, leading to resistance and recurrence. To overcome these limitations, nanomaterial-based cancer treatments have emerged as a promising solution. However, most current nanomaterials focus on a single function, limiting their therapeutic potential. Now, researchers have developed a new nanomaterial that is capable of simultaneously performing cancer diagnosis, treatment, and immune response induction, paving the way for a next-generation treatment platform.

Scientists at the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS, Daejeon, South Korea) have developed a new triple-layer nanodisk (AuFeAuNDs) that offers multiple therapeutic mechanisms in a single material. The design of the nanodisk, which features iron at the core of a gold structure, provides superior stability compared to traditional spherical materials. The nanodisk is equipped with photoacoustic (PA) imaging capabilities, which allow real-time monitoring of both tumor location and drug delivery. By using a magnet near the tumor site, the nanomaterial's magnetic properties enable precise targeting. In addition, the material performs three types of cancer therapies: photothermal therapy (PTT), chemical dynamic therapy (CDT), and ferroptosis therapy. This multifunctionality is combined with immune response activation, triggering the release of danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) from cancer cells, which helps the immune system recognize and attack recurring cancer cells.

Image: Researchers Dr. Lee Eun Sook and Dr. Lee Jinhyung examine the imprinting equipment used for nanodisk synthesis (Photo courtesy of KRISS)

The nanodisk was tested in animal experiments, where PA imaging successfully tracked the accumulation of nanoparticles at the tumor site. The research team confirmed that the optimal treatment time is 6 hours after administering the material. Additionally, the nanodisk induced a significant increase in immune cell count, with up to three times more immune cells identified after treatment. These results highlight the potential of this nanomaterial for improving the effectiveness of cancer treatments and inducing immune responses against cancer recurrence. The findings, published in Chemical Engineering Journal, suggest that this innovative nanomaterial could serve as a platform for next-generation cancer therapy. Future research will focus on optimizing the material's effectiveness in human trials and exploring additional therapeutic applications.

“Unlike conventional nanomaterials, which are composed of a single element and perform only one function, the material developed in this study utilizes the combined properties of gold and iron to perform multiple functions,” said Dr. Lee Eun Sook from KRISS.

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