Self-assembled Cupric Oxide Nanoclusters for Highly efficient chemodynamic therapy

Graphical CuO nanoclusters (CuO NC) with a porous structure were synthesized by self-assembly of oleylamine-stabilized CuO NPs (OAm−CuO NPs), and functionalized with folic acid (CuO NC-FA) for specific HeLa cell targeting. Due to the large surface area, CuO NC-FA demonstrated efficient intracellular Fenton-like reaction efficiency with good cell killing capability. Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) based on Fenton and Fenton-like reactions induces cancer cell killing via in situ catalyzing H 2 O 2 and generating highly oxidative hydroxyl radicals (⋅OH) in tumor sites. Their application is not limited by tumor grown depth or hypoxic microenvironment. However, the reaction efficiency is still hampered due to the structure of catalytic agents and the requirement for low pH environment. Here, we design a porous CuO nanocluster (CuO NC) through self-assembly of oleylamine stabilized CuO NPs (OAm−CuO NPs), and functionalize it with folic acid (CuO NC-FA) for specific tumor cell targeting. It can catalyze H 2 O 2 with high efficiency in nearly neutral environment. Besides, the porous structure of CuO NC also helps the diffusion of H 2 O 2 to the interior of nanocluster to further improve Fenton-like reaction efficiency. The convenient synthesis of CuO NC-FA with good Fenton-like reaction efficiency at neutral environment demonstrates good chemodynamic therapy effect.