Mechanism underlying the effect of MnO2 nanosheets for A549 cell chemodynamic therapy

MnO 2 nanosheets (MnO 2 NSs) were synthesized by one-step method, and MnO 2 NSs were applied to A549 cell chemodynamic Therapy (CDT). The cytotoxicity, redox ability, and reactive oxygen species production of MnO 2 NSs have been investigated, and differences in cell metabolism during CDT were determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). In addition, the metabolites of A549 lung cancer cells affected by MnO 2 NSs treatment are identified; metabolite differences were identified by PCA, PLS-DA, orthogonal PLS-DA, and other methods; and these differences were analyzed using non-targeted metabolomics. We found that A549 cells which were treated by MnO 2 NSs have 17 different metabolites and 9 metabolic pathways that varied markedly. Owing to their unique composition, structure, and physicochemical properties, MnO 2 NSs and their composites have become a favored type of nanomaterial used for CDT in cancer therapy. This work provides insights into the mechanism underlying the effects of MnO 2 NSs on the tumor microenvironment of A549 lung cancer cells, effectively making up for the deficiency of the study on cellular mechanism of CDT-induced apoptosis of cancer cells. It could aid the development of cancer CDT treatment strategies and help improve the use of nanomaterials in the clinical field. Graphical Abstract