Constructing pH-Sensitive Silica-Sulfide Hafnium Dot Nanotherapeutics for Synergistically Enhanced Chemoradiotherapy

Inorganic nanoparticles play important roles in cancer treatment, but the issues of biodegradable properties, and tumor penetration restricted further clinical application. Aiming at the low efficiency and toxic side effects problems existing in the current clinical treatment of cancer, this work has proposed to design the metabolizable multistage structural silica-sulfide hafnium (SiO ₂ -HfS ₂ ) nanotherapeutics for synergistically enhanced chemoradiotherapy of cancer. The biodegradable SiO ₂ nanoparticles (NPs) were initially prepared and then loaded with chemotherapy drug molecules. Subsequently, the synthesized ultra-small HfS ₂ nanodots were attached to the pore surface of SiO ₂ NPs to achieve a pH-responsive release of chemotherapy drugs. Meanwhile, the liberated HfS ₂ nanodots can be used to cause a radiation sensitization effect and further improve the treatment effect. Both the in vitro cellular and in vivo animal level results confirmed synergistically enhanced chemoradiotherapy efficiency. Therefore, this research, we believed, will bring a new train of thought and scientific support for more safety and more efficiency in cancer therapy.