Fig. 7: Cancer-specific synthesis of nano-metalchelate triggering distinct oxidative damage in cancer cells. | Nature Communications

Fig. 7: Cancer-specific synthesis of nano-metalchelate triggering distinct oxidative damage in cancer cells.

From: Intratumoral synthesis of nano-metalchelate for tumor catalytic therapy by ligand field-enhanced coordination

Fig. 7

a Scheme for the anticancer mechanism of FHPG by acidity-responsive degradation and subsequent formation of nano-metalchelate enabling pro-oxidation reactions in cancer cells. b, c Bio-TEM images of HeLa cells (b) and HUVECs (c) after treatment with FHPG for 6 h. Scale bars, 500 nm. A representative image of three replicates from each group is shown. Yellow triangle marks indicate FHPG while red ones indicate the GA–Fe nano-metalchelate newly formed in the cancer cells after FHPG degradation. d Flow cytometry investigating •OH generation in HeLa cells after various treatments for 6 h, representative of 3 independent experiments. e, f Relative viabilities of HeLa cells (e) and HUVECs (f) after different treatments for 24 h. Linear addition for the effect of single Fe-HMSN-PEG or gallate treatment on the relative viability of HeLa cells is plotted for comparison with that of FHPG group. Data are expressed as mean ± SD (N = 6 independent experiments). ***P < 0.001, n.s., not significant, based on the Student’s two-sided t-test. g CLSM images of HeLa cells after different treatments for 24 h. Calcein-AM and PI were used for cell alive/dead observation. Scale bar, 100 μm. A representative image of three replicates from each group is shown. h Flow cytometry evaluating the death mechanism of HeLa cells after indicated treatments for 24 h, representative of 3 independent experiments. Annexin V-FITC and PI were used to stain cells for differentiating their living states. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.

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