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Review
. 2022 Dec 16:2022:5041399.
doi: 10.1155/2022/5041399. eCollection 2022.

Targeting Tumor Microenvironment by Metal Peroxide Nanoparticles in Cancer Therapy

Simon Ngigi Mbugua  1
Affiliations
Review

Targeting Tumor Microenvironment by Metal Peroxide Nanoparticles in Cancer Therapy

Simon Ngigi Mbugua. Bioinorg Chem Appl. .

Abstract

Solid tumors have a unique tumor microenvironment (TME), which includes hypoxia, low acidity, and high hydrogen peroxide and glutathione (GSH) levels, among others. These unique factors, which offer favourable microenvironments and nourishment for tumor development and spread, also serve as a gateway for specific and successful cancer therapies. A good example is metal peroxide structures which have been synthesized and utilized to enhance oxygen supply and they have shown great promise in the alleviation of hypoxia. In a hypoxic environment, certain oxygen-dependent treatments such as photodynamic therapy and radiotherapy fail to respond and therefore modulating the hypoxic tumor microenvironment has been found to enhance the antitumor impact of certain drugs. Under acidic environments, the hydrogen peroxide produced by the reaction of metal peroxides with water not only induces oxidative stress but also produces additional oxygen. This is achieved since hydrogen peroxide acts as a reactive substrate for molecules such as catalyse enzymes, alleviating tumor hypoxia observed in the tumor microenvironment. Metal ions released in the process can also offer distinct bioactivity in their own right. Metal peroxides used in anticancer therapy are a rapidly evolving field, and there is good evidence that they are a good option for regulating the tumor microenvironment in cancer therapy. In this regard, the synthesis and mechanisms behind the successful application of metal peroxides to specifically target the tumor microenvironment are highlighted in this review. Various characteristics of TME such as angiogenesis, inflammation, hypoxia, acidity levels, and metal ion homeostasis are addressed in this regard, together with certain forms of synergistic combination treatments.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author declares no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Estimated percentage of deaths from various cancers in the US in 2021.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Applications for various metal peroxide nanotherapeutics.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Approaches for targeting the tumor microenvironment.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Mechanism of hypoxia-activated AQ4N and enamine N-oxide prodrugs.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Summary mechanism of tripazamine under normal and hypoxic cells.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Mechanism of ROS generation by ferroptosis.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Fenton chemistry of MO2 as a self-supplying source of O2 and H2O2.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Mechanism of catalytic chemistry of Fenton nanocatalysts for versatile radical nanotherapeutics.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Mechanism of photosensitizer-mediated photodynamic cancer therapy.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Two-stage mechanism of CaO2 and boron aza BODIPY photodynamic therapy.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Cancer treatment through nanoparticle-facilitated Fenton process.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Comparison of the effectiveness of traditional monotherapies and combination therapies.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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