Objective:F. nucleatum, a tumor-resident bacterium colonizing breast cancer (BC), results in an immunosuppressive microenvironment and facilitates tumor growth and metastasis. This study aimed to develop a neutrophil-based liposome delivery system designed for dual-targeted elimination of tumor cells andF. nucleatum, while simultaneously upregulating pathogen-associated molecular patterns and damage-associated molecular patterns to potentiate tumor immunotherapy.Methods: The liposomes (PD/GA-LPs) loaded with the perylene diimide complex (PD) and gambogic acid (GA) were fabricated via the extrusion method. Subsequently, comprehensive evaluations including physicochemical characteristics, antibacterial activity, antitumor effect, and immunomodulatory effect evaluation were systematically conducted to validate the feasibility of this delivery system.Results: The resulting PD/GA-LPs exhibited a dynamic size (121.3 nm, zeta potential −44.1 mV) and a high encapsulation efficiency of approximately 78.1% (PD) and 91.8% (GA). In addition, the optimized PD/GA-LPs exhibited excellent photothermal performance and antibacterial efficacy. In vitro cellular experiments revealed that PD/GA-LPs exhibited enhanced internalization by neutrophils, followed by extracellular trap-mediated release, ultimately significantly inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and inducing immunogenic cell death. During in vivo treatment, PD/GA-LPs exhibited targeted tumor accumulation, whereF. nucleatum-driven PD reduction activated near-infrared-responsive photothermal ablation. When combined with GA, this delivery system effectively eliminated tumor cells andF. nucleatum, while facilitating the subsequent T-cell infiltration.Conclusions: This strategy amplified the antitumor immune response, thus leading to effective treatment of BC and prevention of metastasis. In summary, this approach, grounded in the distinct microecology of tumor and normal tissues, offers novel insights into the development of precise and potent immunotherapies for BC.
Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease induced by a plaque biofilm, which can lead to the destruction of the periodontal support tissue and even teeth loss. The common strategies of periodontitis treatment are to eliminate bacterial/biofilm-related inflammation and subsequently inhibit alveolar bone resorption, for which antibiotic therapy is the most traditional one. However, impenetrable polymeric substances on bacterial biofilms make it difficult for traditional antimicrobial agents to take effect. In this study, a novel nanoparticle protease-loaded CuS NPs was developed, combining the advances of photodynamic and photothermal therapy from CuS and enzymatic degradation of the biofilm by a protease. The photothermal activity and the reactive oxygen generation capacity of the designed nanoparticles were verified by the experimental results, constituting the basis of antibacterial function. Next, the high antimicrobial activity of CuS@A NPs onFusobacterium nucleatumand its biofilm was demonstrated. The proper hemo/cytocompatibility of CuS-based NPs was demonstrated by in vitro assays. Last, effective treatment against periodontitis was achieved in a rat periodontitis model through the significant efficacy of inhibiting bone resorption and alleviating inflammation. Thus, the developed CuS@A NPs prove a promising material for the management of periodontitis.