Tumor microenvironment-responsive cerium oxide nanozyme coated ZIF-8 nanoplatform with ICG encapsulation for precise breast cancer surgery and efficacious synergistic suppression

Strategically designing and utilizing nanomaterials with enhanced therapeutic capabilities offers a solution to mitigate the financial burden of treatment and address the subpar efficacy of existing breast cancer treatments. In this study, we introduce a one-step synthesis of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) nanoparticles, where indocyanine green (ICG) is encapsulated and CeO₂ nanozymes along with polyethylene glycol (PEG) are anchored onto the surface, forming ZIF-Ce&ICGP. This nanosystem presents precise tumor accumulation and responsiveness to the acidic tumor microenvironment, facilitating the intracellular release of ICG, Zn²⁺, and CeO₂ nanoparticles from the nanocarriers. In particular, the engineered ZIF-Ce&ICGP achieves accurate delineation of tumor margins, and tumors can be completely removed under fluorescence imaging guidance. Notably, under laser irradiation, the generation of a photothermally amplified ROS storm <i>via</i> bimetallic catalysis effectively inhibited tumor cells both <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i>. Furthermore, ZIF-Ce&ICGP demonstrated extended blood circulation times and excellent biocompatibility. Overall, this research presents a promising nanoplatform for oncological therapy, expanding the utility of ZIF-8 in the realm of combinatorial cancer treatments.