Endoplasmic reticulum-targeted iridium(III) photosensitizer induces pyroptosis for augmented tumor immunotherapy.

An ideal tumor treatment strategy involves therapeutic approaches that can enhance the immunogenicity of the tumor microenvironment while simultaneously eliminating the primary tumor. A cholic acid-modified iridium(III) (Ir3) photosensitizer, targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), has been reported to exhibit potent type I and type II photodynamic therapeutic effects against triple-negative breast cancer (MDA-MB-231). This photosensitizer induces pyroptotic cell death mediated by gasdermin E (GSDME) through photodynamic means and enhances tumor immunotherapy.

A novel water-soluble Cu(II) gluconate complex inhibits cancer cell growth by triggering apoptosis and ferroptosis related mechanisms.

Metal copper complexes have attracted extensive attention as potential alternatives to platinum-based anticancer drugs due to their possible different modes of action. Herein, a new copper(II) gluconate complex, namely [Cu(DPQ)(Gluc)]·2HO (CuGluc, DPQ = pyrazino[2,3-f][1,10]phenanthroline), with good water-solubility and high anticancer activity was synthesized by using D-gluconic acid (Gluc-2H) as an auxiliary ligand. The complex was well characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, elemental analysis, molar conductivity, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).

Near-infrared AIE-active phosphorescent iridium(III) complex for mitochondria-targeted photodynamic therapy.

Mitochondria-targeted photodynamic therapy (PDT) has recently been recognized as a promising strategy for effective cancer treatment. In this work, a mitochondria-targeted near-infrared (NIR) aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active phosphorescent Ir(III) complex (Ir1) is reported with highly favourable mitochondria-targeted bioimaging and cancer PDT properties. Complex Ir1 has strong absorption in the visible light region (∼500 nm) and can effectively produce singlet oxygen (O) under green light (525 nm) irradiation.