Boosting nutrient starvation-dominated cancer therapy through curcumin-augmented mitochondrial Ca(2+) overload and obatoclax-mediated autophagy inhibition as supported by a novel nano-modulator GO-Alg@CaP/CO

BACKGROUND: By hindering energy supply pathway for cancer cells, an alternative therapeutic strategy modality is put forward: tumor starvation therapy. And yet only in this blockade of glucose supply which is far from enough to result in sheer apoptosis of cancer cells. RESULTS: In an effort to boost nutrient starvation-dominated cancer therapy, here a novel mitochondrial Ca(2+) modulator Alg@CaP were tailor-made for the immobilization of Glucose oxidase for depriving the intra-tumoral glucose, followed by the loading of Curcumin to augment mitochondrial Ca(2+) overload to maximize the therapeutic efficiency of cancer starvation therapy via mitochondrial dysfunctions. Also, autophagy inhibitors Obatoclax were synchronously incorporated in this nano-modulator to highlight autophagy inhibition. CONCLUSION: Here, a promising complementary modality for the trebling additive efficacy of starvation therapy was described for cutting off the existing energy sources in starvation therapy through Curcumin-augmented mitochondrial Ca(2+) overload and Obatoclax-mediated autophagy inhibition. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: [Image: see text] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12951-022-01439-0.