Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 Apr 29;16(5):603.
doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16050603.

Application of Nanomaterial-Based Sonodynamic Therapy in Tumor Therapy

Nan Yang  1 , Jianmin Li  1 , Shujie Yu  1 , Guoyu Xia  1 , Dingyang Li  1 , Longlong Yuan  1 , Qingluo Wang  1 , Lijun Ding  1 , Zhongxiong Fan  1 , Jinyao Li  1
Affiliations
Review

Application of Nanomaterial-Based Sonodynamic Therapy in Tumor Therapy

Nan Yang et al. Pharmaceutics. .

Abstract

Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) has attracted significant attention in recent years as it is an innovative approach to tumor treatment. It involves the utilization of sound waves or ultrasound (US) to activate acoustic sensitizers, enabling targeted drug release for precise tumor treatment. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of SDT, encompassing its underlying principles and therapeutic mechanisms, the applications of nanomaterials, and potential synergies with combination therapies. The review begins by introducing the fundamental principle of SDT and delving into the intricate mechanisms through which it facilitates tumor treatment. A detailed analysis is presented, outlining how SDT effectively destroys tumor cells by modulating drug release mechanisms. Subsequently, this review explores the diverse range of nanomaterials utilized in SDT applications and highlights their specific contributions to enhancing treatment outcomes. Furthermore, the potential to combine SDT with other therapeutic modalities such as photothermal therapy (PTT) and chemotherapy is discussed. These combined approaches aim to synergistically improve therapeutic efficacy while mitigating side effects. In conclusion, SDT emerges as a promising frontier in tumor treatment that offers personalized and effective treatment options with the potential to revolutionize patient care. As research progresses, SDT is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future landscape of oncology by providing patients with a broader spectrum of efficacious and tailored treatment options.

Keywords: SDT mechanisms; combined therapy; nanomaterials; sonodynamic therapy; tumor therapy.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 3
Figure 3
SDT Mechanisms for the treatment of tumors. (A) Mechanisms of ICD induction: schematic illustration of necroptosis-inducible NBs for antitumor immune response. Upon US irradiation, NBs generate ROS and induce the cavitation effect. NB-mediated necroptosis provokes release of intact DAMPs, allowing for in situ cancer vaccination. Reproduced with permission from Ref. [30]. Copyright 2020 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim. (B) Concept of US-induced tumor VN using O2-MBs. The local oxygen release within tumors during O2-MB treatment enhanced oxygenation and inhibited the hypoxia/angiogenesis pathway, allowing VN to be achieved. Reproduced with permission from Ref. [36]. (C) Mechanisms for regulating ROS: schematic illustration of M@C for enhancing the SDT efficiency in hypoxic tumors. Oxygen self-contained hybrid sonic sensitizer based on photosynthetic microbial cyanobacteria integrating ultra-small anoxic bimetallic oxide Mn1.4WOx nano-sonar sensitizer referred to as M@C. Reproduced with permission from Ref. [37]. Copyright 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Nanomaterials for SDT realization. (A): Synthesis and antitumor mechanism of O2@Hb@ZIF-8 NPs. ZIF-8 is constructed of Zn2+ ions and 2-methylimidazole ligands. Hb binds to ZIF-8 to form a nanoplatform with potent inhibition of deep tumors under ultrasound irradiation. Reproduced with permission from Ref. [57]. Copyright 2021 American Chemical Society. (B): Synthesis process of Au-TiO2-A-TPP and a schematic representation of dual-targeted Au-TiO2-A-TPP nano-agent for CT-imaging-guided enhanced SDT. Under US irradiation, a large quantity of ROS was produced by Au-TiO2-A-TPP and damaged the mitochondria to cause cell apoptosis. Reproduced with permission from Ref. [51]. Copyright 2019 American Chemical Society. (C): Synthesis of MTTP complexes and corresponding nanocomplexes with HSA. To obtain MTTP-HSA nanoparticles, MTTP was first dissolved with different solvents/reflux method and then mixed with HSA solution separately by sonication in an ice bath. Reproduced with permission from Ref. [76]. Copyright 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Figure 1
Figure 1
This review comprehensively analyzes and discusses the principles, mechanisms, nanomaterials, and combination therapies involved in SDT.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Principle of SDT.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Combined SDT and PDT/PTT treatment. (A) Schematic of near-infrared II-activatable self-assembled manganese porphyrin–gold heterostructures for photoacoustic-imaging-guided acoustic power-enhanced photothermal/photodynamic therapy. Reproduced with permission from Ref. [93]. Copyright 2023 American Chemical Society. (B) Synthesis and antitumor mechanism of PCPT. Reproduced with permission from Ref. [94]. Copy-right 2019 American Chemical Society.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Combined treatment with SDT and chemotherapy. (A): One-step preparation of PLGA-HMME-DTX@MnO2 NPs via flash nanoprecipitation. (B): Cellular ROS generation in MCF-7 cells. The white scale bars represent 25 μm Reproduced with permission from Ref. [108].
Figure 7
Figure 7
Combined treatment with SDT and immunotherapy. (A) Antitumor immune responses induced by SDT in combination with immunoadjuvant-containing nano photosensitizers and checkpoint blockers. (B) Synthesis and characterizations of the composite nanosonosensitisers. (a) Schematic illustration of the construction of HMME/R837@Lipnanosonosensitisers and their microstructures; (b) TEM image showing the quasi-spherical morphology of HMME/R837@Lip with high dispersity; (c) hydrodynamic diameters of HMME/R837@Lip nanosonosensitisers in PBS as measured by DLS; (d) UV-vis absorbance spectra of Lip, HMME, HMME@Lip and HMME/R837@Lip, indicating the successful encapsulation of HMME into the nano-liposome; (e) zeta potential of Lip, HMME@Lip and HMME/R837@Lip; (f) scheme of US-triggered 1O2 production as assisted by HMME/R837@Lip; (g) ESR spectra of HMME/R837@Lip with or without US treatment; (h) time-dependent DPBF absorption spectra in the presence of HMME/R837@Lip under US irradiation for varied durations. Reproduced with permission from Ref. [104].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Wu Q., Yang Z., Nie Y., Shi Y., Fan D. Multi-drug resistance in cancer chemotherapeutics: Mechanisms and lab approaches. Cancer Lett. 2014;347:159–166. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2014.03.013. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Fisher B. Biological Research in the Evolution of Cancer Surgery: A Personal Perspective. Cancer Res. 2008;68:10007–10020. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-08-0186. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Nowak K.M., Schwartz M.R., Breza V.R., Price R.J. Sonodynamic therapy: Rapid progress and new opportunities for non-invasive tumor cell killing with sound. Cancer Lett. 2022;532:215592. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.215592. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Rengeng L., Qianyu Z., Yuehong L., Zhongzhong P., Libo L. Sonodynamic therapy, a treatment developing from photodynamic therapy. Photodiagnosis Photodyn. Ther. 2017;19:159–166. doi: 10.1016/j.pdpdt.2017.06.003. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Yang H., Tu L., Li J., Bai S., Hu Z., Yin P., Lin H., Yu Q., Zhu H. Deep and precise lighting-up/combat diseases through sonodynamic agents integrating molecular imaging and therapy modalities. Coord. Chem. Rev. 2022;453:214333. doi: 10.1016/j.ccr.2021.214333. - DOI