2D manganese-doped calcium carbonate nanosheets as activable MRI/US imaging Guided enhanced calcium influx for Boosted regulatory cell death

Mingya, Tan, Linlin, Huo, Jie, Zeng, Shiqi, Zhu, Jianfeng, Bao, Mengke, Fan, Jiangyang, Li, Meiling, Liu, Jiayi, Zhao, Zhenghuan, Zhao

Chemical Engineering Journal |

Calcium ion (Ca2+) overload therapy has emerged as a promising approach for regulating mitochondrial functions and inducing immunogenic cell death. However, the limited intramitochondrial Ca2+ levels and immunosuppressive microenvironment significantly hamper its therapeutic efficacy. Herein, we present polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified 2D manganese-doped calcium carbonate nanosheets (MnCaCP NSs) to improve Ca2+-overload efficacy through increasing the intramitochondrial Ca2+ levels and triggering obvious immunogenic response. The high surface area of MnCaCP NSs facilitates the rapid release of Ca2+ in the mildly acidic tumor microenvironment and quickly elevates intramitochondrial Ca2+ levels in tumor cells. The accompanying released Mn2+ and CO2 disrupted the calcium buffering system of tumor cells by interfering with the oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, significantly elevating Ca2+ levels and enhancing Ca2+-overload efficacy. We discovered that the increased Ca2+ levels and released Mn2+ activated regulated cell death (RCD) and stimulated the cGAS-STING pathway, transforming tumor tissue from immunosuppressive to immunostimulatory and inhibiting metastasis. Additionally, the tumor micronenvironment-responsive release of Mn2+ and CO2 enables MnCaCP NSs to act as activable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound (US) contrast agents, allowing for real-time monitoring of therapeutic efficacy. This versatile intelligent nanomedicine integrates controllability, specificity and safety, positioning it as a promising candidate for precision cancer therapy.