Alleviating the hypoxic tumor microenvironment with MnO(2)-coated CeO(2) nanoplatform for magnetic resonance imaging guided radiotherapy

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy is a commonly used tool in clinical practice to treat solid tumors. However, due to the unique microenvironment inside the tumor, such as high levels of GSH, overexpressed H(2)O(2) and hypoxia, these factors can seriously affect the effectiveness of radiotherapy. RESULTS: Therefore, to further improve the efficiency of radiotherapy, a core–shell nanocomposite CeO(2)–MnO(2) is designed as a novel radiosensitizer that can modulate the tumor microenvironment (TME) and thus improve the efficacy of radiation therapy. CeO(2)–MnO(2) can act as a radiosensitizer to enhance X-ray absorption at the tumor site while triggering the response behavior associated with the tumor microenvironment. According to in vivo and in vitro experiments, the nanoparticles aggravate the killing effect on tumor cells by generating large amounts of ROS and disrupting the redox balance. In this process, the outer layer of MnO(2) reacts with GSH and H(2)O(2) in the tumor microenvironment to generate ROS and release oxygen, thus alleviating the hypoxic condition in the tumor area. Meanwhile, the manganese ions produced by degradation can enhance T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In addition, CeO(2)–MnO(2), due to its high atomic number oxide CeO(2), releases a large number of electrons under the effect of radiotherapy, which further reacts with intracellular molecules to produce reactive oxygen species and enhances the killing effect on tumor cells, thus having the effect of radiotherapy sensitization. In conclusion, the nanomaterial CeO(2)–MnO(2), as a novel radiosensitizer, greatly improves the efficiency of cancer radiation therapy by improving the lack of oxygen in tumor and responding to the tumor microenvironment, providing an effective strategy for the construction of nanosystem with radiosensitizing function. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the nanomaterial CeO(2)–MnO(2), as a novel radiosensitizer, greatly improves the efficiency of cancer radiation therapy by improving the lack of oxygen in tumor and responding to the tumor microenvironment, providing an effective strategy for the construction of nanosystems with radiosensitizing function. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12951-023-01850-1.