One-Pot Synthesis of Fe(III)-Curcumin Coordination Polymer Nanoparticles with Dynamic Disassembly and Elimination Abilities for Cancer Therapy

Due to the complex physiological and pathological barriers in tumor tissues, the penetration depth of light is limited and the accumulation and distribution of photosensitizers in the tumor are insufficient, which seriously affects the therapeutic effect of photothermal therapy (PTT) on solid tumors. The preparation process of traditional photothermal agents is complicated, and their biosafety needs further improvement. Moreover, photothermal agents are difficult to rapidly excrete from the body after realizing the therapeutic function, which may cause long-term potential harm to the body. In this study, multifunctional nanoparticles (FeCNPs) consisting of iron(III), curcumin, and poly(ethylene glycol) grafted polyglutamate (PLG-g-mPEG) were obtained through a simple one-pot method. The synthesized FeCNPs exhibited an average hydrodynamic size of 125 nm and a polydispersion index (PDI) of 0.462. Furthermore, the nanoparticle has excellent biocompatibility and a photothermal effect. After the PPT, the FeCNPs break down into harmless elements via a dynamic disassembly mechanism triggered by deferoxamine mesylate (DFO), facilitating swift elimination and preventing possible long-term toxicity to major organs. The therapeutic synergies enable efficient tumor removal. In summary, this study demonstrates an approach for the dynamic disassembly of metal-polyphenol nanoparticles, effectively addressing the challenge of balancing the EPR effect and renal clearance.