Self-assembled manganese phthalocyanine nanoparticles with enhanced peroxidase-like activity for anti-tumor therapy

The use of functional nanoparticles as peroxidase-like catalysts has recently been the focus of research in cancer therapy. Phthalocyanine is a macrocyclic conjugated metal ligand that is expected to achieve high POD-like catalytic activity, generating free radicals and inhibit cancer cell proliferation. Phthalocyanine nanocrystals with different structures were synthesized by non-covalent self-assembly confined in microemulsion droplets, and the phthalocyanine manganese (MnPc) with a metal-NC active center was used as the building unit. These nanoassemblies exhibited shape-dependent POD-like catalytic activity because the emulsifier and MnPc assembly reduced tight packing between MnPc molecules and exposed more active sites. This component has a water-dispersed nanostructure that facilitates accumulation at tumor sites through enhanced permeability and retention effect (EPR). Due to the efficient microenvironmental reactions, this assembly only exhibits higher catalytic activity in an acidic tumor-like microenvironment, but causes less damage to normal tissue in biomedical applications. In vivo and in vitro catalytic therapeutic tests have demonstrated excellent antitumor effects. This work explores new approaches for applying metallo-organic macromolecules such as MnPc as nanoenzymes to catalyze tumor therapy. But with less damage to normal tissues in biomedical applications.