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Review
. 2022 Feb 24;12(11):6540-6551.
doi: 10.1039/d1ra08335j. eCollection 2022 Feb 22.

Utilization of metal or non-metal-based functional materials as efficient composites in cancer therapies

Xiaoxiao He  1   2 , Shiyue Chen  1   2 , Xiang Mao  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Utilization of metal or non-metal-based functional materials as efficient composites in cancer therapies

Xiaoxiao He et al. RSC Adv. .

Abstract

There has been great progress in cancer treatment through traditional approaches, even though some of them are still trapped in relative complications such as certain side effects and prospective chances of full recovery. As a conventional method, the immunotherapy approach is regarded as an effective approach to cure cancer. It is mainly promoted by immune checkpoint blocking and adoptive cell therapy, which can utilize the human immune system to attack tumor cells and make them necrose completely or stop proliferating cancer cells. Currently however, immunotherapy shows limited success due to the limitation of real applicable cases of targeted tumor environments and immune systems. Considering the urgent need to construct suitable strategies towards cancer therapy, metallic materials can be used as delivery systems for immunotherapeutic agents in the human body. Metallic materials exhibit a high degree of specificity, effectiveness, diagnostic ability, imaging ability and therapeutic effects with different biomolecules or polymers, which is an effective option for cancer treatment. In addition, these modified metallic materials contain immune-modulators, which can activate immune cells to regulate tumor microenvironments and enhance anti-cancer immunity. Additionally, they can be used as adjuvants with immunomodulatory activities, or as carriers for molecular transport to specific targets, which results in the loading of specific ligands to facilitate specific uptake. Here, we provide an overview of the different types of metallic materials used as efficient composites in cancer immunotherapy. We elaborate on the advancements using metallic materials with functional agents as effective composites in synergistic cancer treatment. Some nonmetallic functional composites also appear as a common phenomenon. Ascribed to the design of the composites themselves, the materials' surface structural characteristics are introduced as the drug-loading substrate. The physical and chemical properties of the functional materials emphasize that further research is required to fully characterize their mechanism, showing appropriate relevance for material toxicology and biomedical applications.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Schematic illustration of the utilization of metallic materials as efficient composites in cancer immunotherapy and their fabrication procedures.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Metal-based nanomaterials as candidates for cancer immunotherapy. (A) Vaccines connect to and display on the surface of Au NPs to become a vaccine–Au NP complex; then, the complex penetrates blood vessels and delivers the vaccine targeting cancer cells to enhance the immune response. (B) Schematic illustration of the synthesis and surface modification of PEGylated Fe NPs. (C) Intravenous injection of iRGD-bcc-USINPs at three doses effectively suppresses tumor growth, and develops strong immune memory in immunotherapy. (D) Schematic diagram of HeLa cell with the C–Co-NPs apoptotic process under RF excitation. These are reprinted with permission from He et al. (2021, FRONTIER), Chao et al. (2019, ACS), Liang et al. (2021, ACS) and Xu et al. (2008, IOP), respectively.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Metal-based heterogeneous structures as functional candidates towards potential possibility in cancer therapy. (A) Schematic illustration of the formation of DOX/Pd@Au@ZIF-8 and its application in pH- and NIR-triggered chemo-photothermal synergistic treatment of cancer cells. (B) The synthetic process of palladium (Pd) and hyaluronic acid (HA) integrated into selenium (Se) nanoparticles (Pd@Se-HA NPs) and therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by combination therapy inhibiting the macrophage inflammatory response in vivo. (C) Ultra-small iron–palladium (FePd) NPs with near-infrared-II (NIR-II) region photothermal response for targeted tumor photothermal therapy and magnetic resonance imaging. (D) Schematic illustration of chemo-photothermal combinational therapy for tumors using multifunctional Au@Pt NPs. These are reprinted with permission from Yang et al. (2017, RSC), Zheng et al. (2021, Chinese Pharmaceutical Association), Yang et al. (2019, RSC) and Yang et al. (2017, ACS), respectively.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4. Metal oxide materials and chalcogenides as functional composites towards cancer immunotherapy. (A) Schematic illustration of the synthesis of DOX-loaded Fe3O4@PDA–PEG–cRGD composite particles. (B) CuS@OVA–PLGA–NPs presented as a promising strategy for metastatic tumor therapy. (C) Polyethylene glycol-modified CuS NPs (CuS NPs–PEG–Mal) with stronger antigen adsorption capacity; the therapeutic strategies provide a simple and effective treatment option for metastatic and recurrent tumors. (D) Schematic illustration of the concept behind using HMSNs–CS–DOX@CuS for thermal-PA imaging-guided tumor chemo-PTT therapy. These are reprinted with permission from Fan et al. (2019, Dove Press), Chen et al. (2020, Elsevier), Wang et al. (2019, ACS) and Niu et al. (2021, Elsevier), respectively.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5. Using nonmetallic composites as functional agents in cancer therapy and further immunotherapy. (A) Schematic illustration of the smart NPs with prolonged blood circulation, enhanced tumor accumulation, efficient cancer cell uptake, pH- and temperature-responsive release of PTX, and the capability of targeting breast cancer cells. (B) Schematic illustration of the Mn2(CO)10-loaded and POM surface-modified hollow mesoporous organosilica nanoplatform, HMOPM-CO, for tumor microenvironment (TME)-responsive self-assembly and precise synergistic therapy. (C) Illustration of targeted co-delivery of antigen and agonists by PCL–PEG–PCL hybrid nanoparticles for cancer immunotherapy. (D). Schematic illustration of the structure of the nano-in-nano polymer–dendrimer nanoparticle-based drug delivery nanosystem, the cellular uptake of NPs, and the controlled drug release from the nanosystem. These are reprinted with permission from Niu et al. (2018, Taylor & Francis), Tang et al. (2018, ACS), Zhuang et al. (2019, ACS) and Zhao et al. (2017, ACS), respectively.
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