Hypoxia,
as a main feature of the tumor microenvironment, has greatly
limited the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT), as well as its
clinical application. Here, a multifunctional composite nanoplatform,
the peptide/Ce6/MnO2 nanocomposite (RKCM),
has been constructed to alleviate tumor hypoxia and increase the efficacy
of PDT using rationally designed peptide fibrils to encapsulate chlorin
e6 (Ce6) inside and to mineralize MnO2 nanoparticles on
the surface. As a result, RKCM significantly improved
the PDT efficacy by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation,
decreasing tumor cell viability, and inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis.
Besides, decreased HIF-1α expression and increased immune-activated
cell infiltration were also observed in RKCM/laser treatment
xenograft. Mechanically, (1) Ce6 can induce singlet oxygen (1O2) generation under laser irradiation to give photodynamic
therapy (PDT); (2) MnO2 can react with H2O2 in situ to supply additional O2 to alleviate tumor
hypoxia; and (3) the released Mn2+ ions can induce a Fenton-like
reaction to generate •OH for chemical dynamic therapy
(CDT). Moreover, RKCM/laser treatment also presented
with an abscopal effect to block the occurrence of lung metastasis
by remolding the pre-metastasis immune microenvironment. With these
several aspects working together, the peptide/Ce6/MnO2 nanoplatform
can achieve highly efficient tumor therapy. Such a strategy based
on peptide self-assembly provides a promising way to rationally design
a cancer-responsive multifunctional nanoplatform for highly efficient
combined cancer therapy by alleviating hypoxia and improving the immune
microenvironment.