Monitoring ROS Responsive Fe3O4-based Nanoparticle Mediated Ferroptosis and Immunotherapy via 129Xe MRI

Abstract

The immune checkpoint blockade strategy has improved the survival rate of late-stage lung cancer patients. However, the low immune response rate limits the immunotherapy efficiency. Here, we report a ROS-responsive Fe₃O₄-based nanoparticle that undergoes charge reversal and disassembly in the tumor microenvironment, enhancing the uptake of Fe₃O₄ by tumor cells and triggering a more severe ferroptosis. In the tumor microenvironment, the nanoparticle rapidly disassembles and releases the loaded GOx and the immune-activating peptide Tuftsin under overexpressed H₂O₂. GOx can consume the glucose of tumor cells and generate more H₂O₂, promoting the disassembly of the nanoparticle and drug release, thereby enhancing the therapeutic effect of ferroptosis. Combined with Tuftsin, it can more effectively reverse the immune-suppressive microenvironment and promote the recruitment of effector T cells in tumor tissues. Ultimately, in combination with α-PD-L1, there is significant inhibition of the growth of lung metastases. Additionally, the hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe method has been used to evaluate the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle-mediated immunotherapy, where the ventilation defects in lung metastases have been significantly improved with complete lung structure and function recovered. The ferroptosis-enhanced immunotherapy combined with non-radiation evaluation methodology paves a new way for designing novel theranostic agents for cancer therapy.

Keywords: Fe3O4; MRI; ferroptosis; hyperpolarized 129Xe; immunotherapy.