Nanocatalytic Medicine

Abstract

Catalysis and medicine are often considered as two independent research fields with their own respective scientific phenomena. Promoted by recent advances in nanochemistry, large numbers of nanocatalysts, such as nanozymes, photocatalysts, and electrocatalysts, have been applied in vivo to initiate catalytic reactions and modulate biological microenvironments for generating therapeutic effects. The rapid growth of research in biomedical applications of nanocatalysts has led to the concept of “nanocatalytic medicine,” which is expected to promote the further advance of such a subdiscipline in nanomedicine. The high efficiency and selectivity of catalysis that chemists strived to achieve in the past century can be ingeniously translated into high efficacy and mitigated side effects in theranostics by using “nanocatalytic medicine” to steer catalytic reactions for optimized therapeutic outcomes. Here, the rationale behind the construction of nanocatalytic medicine is eludicated based on the essential reaction factors of catalytic reactions (catalysts, energy input, and reactant). Recent advances in this burgeoning field are then comprehensively presented and the mechanisms by which catalytic nanosystems are conferred with theranostic functions are discussed in detail. It is believed that such an emerging catalytic therapeutic modality will play a more important role in the field of nanomedicine.

A Metal‐Organic Framework (MOF) Fenton Nanoagent‐Enabled Nanocatalytic Cancer Therapy in Synergy with Autophagy Inhibition

“…Recent development of catalytic chemistry provides us with feasible tools to harness redox reactions for biochemical applications, by introducing nanocatalysts into specific biological milieu to actuate redox reactions for triggering therapeutic effect 7. These nanocatalytic medicines can initiate Fenton‐like reactions in cancer cells specifically to disproportionate H 2 O 2 into highly toxic •OH, which oxidizes and inactivates ambient cellular proteins and organelles instantaneously 8.…”

Auger Electrons Constructed Active Sites on Nanocatalysts for Catalytic Internal Radiotherapy

“…Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) is a traditional and typical nanocatalyst with high stability and low toxicity, which is suitable for applications in vivo. [ 19–22 ] Herein, we developed a method of injecting AEs to nanocatalysts by synthesizing 125 I‐labeled TiO 2 nanoparticles ( 125 I‐TiO 2 NPs) and explored the performance of 125 I‐TiO 2 NPs for cancer catalytic internal radiotherapy (CIRT), as illustrated in Scheme . First, AEs emitted from 125 I arrive on the surface of TiO 2 and induce the formation of Ti 3+ .…”

Fibroblast Growth Factor 2‐Mediated Regulation of Neuronal Exosome Release Depends on VAMP3/Cellubrevin in Hippocampal Neurons

“…Moreover, EVs‐based approaches hold great potential for their use as diagnostic or therapeutic nanocarriers (for review see refs. ). As determined by their biogenesis, at least three main subgroups of EVs have been defined: ectosomes (also termed microvesicles), exosomes, and apoptotic bodies.…”