Nanoparticles for combined photo- and chemodynamic therapy of cancer cells involving endogenous glutathione depletion suppplementary data

Background: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are powerful weapons for various anticancer therapies.

However, high glutathione (GSH) levels in cancer cells can significantly reduce the efficacy of such

therapies. Methods: In this study, pH-responsive fluorescein-encapsulated zeolitic imidazolate framework-

8 nanoparticles were synthesized for ROS-mediated combination therapy. Results: Upon blue light

activation, fluorescein displayed a high singlet oxygen photogeneration ability for photodynamic therapy.

Concurrently, accumulated Zn2+ from degraded zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 stimulated simultaneous

ROS generation and GSH depletion, thereby successfully inducing chemodynamic therapy. This triggered

a cascade of photo–physical and chemical processes culminating in the localized generation of ROS,

ultimately breaking the intracellular redox equilibrium. Conclusion: This nanoformulation can potentially

be used for light-activated ROS-mediated therapy for the management of superficial tumors.