Abstract

Lipid peroxide (LPO) is the hallmark of ferroptosis, which is a promising antitumor modality for its unique advantages. However, a cellular defense system would weaken the antitumor efficacy of ferrotherapy. Herein, a GPX4 inhibitor of ML162 and a photosensitizer of chlorine e6 (Ce6) are used to prepare the self-delivery nanomedicine (C-ML162) through hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions to enhance ferroptosis by photodynamic therapy (PDT). Specifically, carrier-free C-ML162 improves the solubility, stability, and cellular uptake of antitumor agents. Upon light irradiation, the internalized C-ML162 generates large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to oxidize cellular unsaturated lipid into LPO. More importantly, C-ML162 can directly inactivate GPX4 to enhance the accumulation of toxic LPO, inducing ferroptotic cell death. Additionally, C-ML162 is capable of accumulating at a tumor site for effective treatment. This self-delivery system to amplify lipid peroxidation via GPX4 inactivation for PDT initiated ferrotherapy might provide an appealing strategy against malignancies.