Reinforcing Calcium Overload via Inflammation‐Mediated Targeting to Amplify Pyroptosis and Antitumor Immunity
Tumor-associated inflammation presents a promising therapeutic target, yet it remains insufficiently exploited in current nanomedicine approaches. While inflammation-driven strategies, such as inducing pyroptosis, have the potential to enhance tumor immunity, their limited induction efficiency and poor tumor targeting still pose significant challenges. Herein, we engineer a neutrophil membrane-camouflaged nanoplatform (RC@NMVs) that exploits tumor inflammation to drive reinforcing calcium dyshomeostasis and pyroptotic amplification. This biomimetic system comprises calcium phosphate (CaP) nanoparticles co-loaded with the calcium channel blocker, ruthenium red. Upon internalization by tumor cells, the CaP core dissolves within lysosomes, releasing Ca<sup>2</sup> <sup>+</sup> ions, while ruthenium red inhibits the Ca<sup>2+</sup> transporting channels, synergistically elevating intracellular Ca<sup>2</sup> <sup>+</sup> levels. The resulting calcium overload triggers gasdermin-mediated pyroptosis, characterized by the release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and pro-inflammatory cytokines. The amplified inflammatory microenvironment facilitates the recruitment and tumor accumulation of subsequently administered RC@NMVs. In vivo studies demonstrate enhanced tumor enrichment of RC@NMVs compared to non-inflamed controls, leading to robust pyroptosis and significant tumor inhibition. Moreover, pyroptosis-driven inflammation elicits durable antitumor immune responses, effectively preventing tumor recurrence and metastasis. In general, this work presents a biomimetic strategy that harnesses inflammation-mediated tumor targeting to amplify pyroptosis and immune activation, offering a promising approach for effective cancer therapy.
Authors
- Kexin Wen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0297-1236)
- BOYU YUAN
- Linlin Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7014-2149)
- Jinqiao Zhang
- Yingying Liu
- Yang Liu
- Qin Fan
- Ziliang Dong
- Xianzhou Cai
Institutions
- Nanyang Technological University (SG)
- Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications (CN)
- Shandong Provincial QianFoShan Hospital (CN)
- Shandong First Medical University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Advanced Science
- Published
- 2026-03-23
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202522827
- Primary Topic
- Inflammasome and immune disorders
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00