Chen Wang,1,* Hongmei Zhou,1,* Mekhrdod S Kurboniyon,2 Yanping Tang,1 Zhengmin Cai,1 Shufang Ning,1 Litu Zhang,1 Xinqiang Liang1 

1Department of Research & Guangxi Cancer Molecular Medicine Engineering Research Center & Guangxi Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research for Colorectal Cancer, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, People’s Republic of China; 2National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, Dushanbe, Tajikistan

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Litu Zhang; Xinqiang Liang, Department of Research and Guangxi Cancer Molecular Medicine Engineering Research Center and Guangxi Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research for Colorectal Cancer, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, People’s Republic of China, Email zhanglitu@gmail.com; xx03716@163.com

Background: Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) is a new treatment approach that is triggered by endogenous stimuli in specific intracellular conditions for generating hydroxyl radicals. However, the efficiency of CDT is severely limited by Fenton reaction agents and harsh reaction conditions.
Methods: Bimetallic PtMn nanocubes were rationally designed and simply synthesized through a one-step high-temperature pyrolysis process by controlling both the nucleation process and the subsequent crystal growth stage. The polyethylene glycol was modified to enhance biocompatibility.
Results: Benefiting from the alloying of Pt nanocubes with Mn doping, the structure of the electron cloud has changed, resulting in different degrees of the shift in electron binding energy, resulting in the increasing of Fenton reaction activity. The PtMn nanocubes could catalyze endogenous hydrogen peroxide to toxic hydroxyl radicals in mild acid. Meanwhile, the intrinsic glutathione (GSH) depletion activity of PtMn nanocubes consumed GSH with the assistance of Mn3+/Mn2+. Upon 808 nm laser irradiation, mild temperature due to the surface plasmon resonance effect of Pt metal can also enhance the Fenton reaction.
Conclusion: PtMn nanocubes can not only destroy the antioxidant system via efficient reactive oxygen species generation and continuous GSH consumption but also propose the photothermal effect of noble metal for enhanced Fenton reaction activity.

Keywords: noble metal, Mn-doping, Fenton reaction, photothermal effect, chemodynamic therapy