Flexible regulation of reactive oxygen species by sustainable cluster drugs. (December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, D.; Zhuang, P.; Mei, X.
• Is Part Of: Materials today chemistry. Volume 26(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-12
• Subjects: NCs -- ROS -- Enzyme-like activity -- Environmental-friendly -- Low-toxic; Chemistry -- Periodicals; Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Materials science -- Periodicals; Chemistry; Materials -- Research; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 660.282
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mtchem.2022.101093
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2468-5194

Abstract

Abstract: The lack of water solubility, the flexibility of drug response, and organ barrier penetrability are the drawbacks of many reactive oxygen species (ROS)-controlling nanomedicines. Although smart nano-delivery systems partially solve these problems, such systems require complex functionalization processes by loading additional drugs. On the other hand, metal nanoclusters (NCs) are simple in structure, consisting of only metalcore and stabilized ligands, but they can efficiently regulate ROS levels for various diseases. NCs do not require the additional loading of drugs but are biocompatible directly, which can pass through various organ barriers without further modification and be effectively excreted from the body without causing environmental burdens. Herein, we summarize the mechanism for regulation of ROS by NCs including the enzymatic and non-enzymatic systems. The regulatory propensity of ROS by amplifying, switching, or altering the enzyme-like activities based on tuning the metal cores and their surfaces is deeply discussed. Furthermore, the treatment of ROS-related diseases by NCs is presented. Finally, the prospect of better use of NCs to modulate ROS to improve biological fate is also proposed. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Various mechanisms for the flexible regulation of ROS by NCs are proposed. The regulation of ROS by amplifying, switching, or altering enzyme-like activity is discussed in depth. The NCs that can cross the organ barriers to treating related diseases are presented. More efficient use of NCs to modulate ROS levels for disease treatment has also been proposed.