Nano Ultrasound Contrast Agent for Synergistic Chemo-photothermal Therapy and Enhanced Immunotherapy Against Liver Cancer and Metastasis

Advanced liver cancer is the most fatal malignant cancer, and the clinical outcomes of treatment are not very satisfactory due to the complexity and heterogeneity of the tumor. Combination therapy can efficiently enhance tumor treatment by stimulating multiple pathways and regulating the tumor immune microenvironment. Nanodrug delivery systems have become attractive candidates for combined strategies for liver cancer treatment. This study reports a nano ultrasound contrast agent (arsenic trioxide (ATO)/PFH NPs@Au-cRGD) to integrate diagnosis and treatment for efficient ultrasound imaging and liver cancer therapy. This nanodrug delivery system promotes tumor-associated antigens release through ATO-induced ferroptosis and photothermal-induced immunogenic cell death, enhancing the synergistic effects of ATO and photothermal therapy in human Huh7 and mouse Hepa1-6 cells. This drug delivery system successfully activates the antitumor immune response and promotes macrophage M1 polarization in tumor microenvironment with low side effects in subcutaneous and orthotopic liver cancer. Furthermore, tumor metastasis is inhibited and long-term immunological memory is also established in orthotopic liver cancer when the nanodrug delivery system is combined with anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) immunotherapy. This safe nanodrug delivery system can enhance antitumor therapy, inhibit lung metastasis, and achieve visual assessment of therapeutic efficacy, providing substantial potential in clinic applications for liver cancer.

Automated summary

This study introduces a nano ultrasound contrast agent (ATO/PFH NPs@Au-cRGD) that integrates diagnosis and treatment for efficient ultrasound imaging and liver cancer therapy. The nanodrug delivery system promotes the release of tumor-associated antigens, enhances the synergistic effects of ATO and photothermal therapy, and activates the antitumor immune response. Additionally, when combined with anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy, the system inhibits tumor metastasis and establishes long-term immunological memory.