Robust radiosensitization of hemoglobin-curcumin nanoparticles suppresses hypoxic hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Radioresistance inducing by hypoxic microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma is a major obstacle to clinical radiotherapy. Advanced nanomedicine provides an alternative to alleviate the hypoxia extent of solid tumor, even to achieve effective synergistic treatment when combined with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. RESULTS: Herein, we developed a self-assembled nanoparticle based on hemoglobin and curcumin for photoacoustic imaging and radiotherapy of hypoxic hepatocellular carcinoma. The fabricated nanoparticles inhibited hepatoma migration and vascular mimics, and enhanced the radiosensitivity of hypoxic hepatoma cells in vitro via repressing cell proliferation and DNA damage repair, as well as inducing apoptosis. Benefit from oxygen-carrying hemoglobin combined with polyphenolic curcumin, the nanoparticles also effectively enhanced the photoacoustic contrast and the efficacy of radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Together, the current study offered a radiosensitization platform for optimizing the efficacy of nanomedicines on hypoxic radioresistant tumor. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: [Image: see text] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12951-022-01316-w.