Graphene Quantum Dot Sensitized Heterojunctions Induce Tumor-Specific Cuproptosis to Boost Sonodynamic and Chemodynamic Enhanced Cancer Immunotherapy.

ABSTRACT: Cuproptosis that utilizes copper ionophore to induce programmed cell death holds promise for enhancing the effectiveness of conventional anticancer therapies and triggering efficient adaptive immune responses. However, the non-tumor-specific release of Cu ions can induce cuproptosis and cause irreversible damage to normal tissues. To maximize the therapeutic effects of tumor-specific cuproptosis, this work reports for the first time the regulation of degradation behaviors of Cu-based nanomaterials using graphene quantum dots (GQDs) as a protection layer. The deposition of GQDs not only avoids the degradation of Cu₂O nanocubes under normal physiological conditions, but also sensitizes their sonodynamic activity due to the formation of Z-scheme heterojunctions. The tumor-specific

SUBMITTER: Yan L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11831527 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature