Nanoparticles loaded with β-Lapachone and Fe3+ exhibit enhanced chemodynamic therapy by producing H2O2 through cascaded amplification

The rapid, irreversible change of active Fe2+ to inactive Fe3+ after the Fenton reaction occurring reduces the chemodynamic therapeutic (CDT) effect. Therefore, manipulation of the tumor microenvironment to provide sufficient hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) while maintaining metal ion catalyst activity is critical for effective CDT. Here, β-Lapachone (LPC) was loaded by mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) and coated with polydopamine (PDA) to further chelate Fe3+ and link aptamer AS1411, and a pH-controlled released, chemotherapy-photothermal therapy (PTT)-enhanced CDT-small molecule therapy combination drug delivery system with passive and active tumor targeting was engineered (designated as β-LPC@MSN@PDA/Fe3+-AS1411, LMPFA). The results showed that LFMPA nanoparticles massively accumulated in tumor tissues to achieve tumor targeting through AS1411 mediating and enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. Subsequently, PDA released Fe3+ and LPC through acid response to exhibited CDT and chemotherapeutic therapy. Meanwhile, the photothermal effect of PDA promoted the release of LPC from the pores of MSN. LPC exerted chemotherapy effect and cyclically producing of H2O2 by the catalysis of NQO1, which enhanced the CDT activated by Fe3+. In addition, while serving as a targeted ligand, AS1411 could also exhibit a small molecule therapeutic effect by binding to nucleoli of tumor cells. This unique nano delivery system achieved the combination of chemotherapy, PTT, enhanced CDT and small molecule therapy, and fought against malignant tumors synergistically through multi-target and multi-dimension.