Bioinspired bimetallic nanozyme with cabozantinib and paclitaxel nanoparticles for effective ROS accumulation for improved ferroptosis in liver cancer cells

Ferroptosis, which relies on iron (Fe) ions for the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), is an effective approach for treating liver cancer. Cells will activate several mechanisms, such as decreasing Fe absorption and sequestering surplus Fe in ferritin, to diminish intracellular Fe levels. This study presents a straightforward, one-pot approach for the fabrication of bovine serum albumin (BS)-stabilized MnFe2O4 (MnFe@BS NPs) intended for liver cancer treatment in ferroptosis therapy. Cabozantinib (CA) and paclitaxel (PA), which can promote ferritin breakdown and augment uptake by elevating transferrin receptor and binding protein IRP2 levels, were encapsulated in MnFe@BS NPs to improve the liver cancer cytotoxic properties. The fabricated MnFe@BS-CA/PA NPs substantially elevate cellular Fe concentration, hence augmenting ROS production within HepG2 cells. Thus, the bimetallic nanozyme demonstrated a synergistic effect of MnFe, CA, and PA, providing a foundation for improving ferroptosis therapy for liver cancer.