Citation: Fanchun Hu, Yuhan Ding, Caiting Deng, Jingjing Zhang, Wei Qu, Yanqin Rong, Nandi Chen, Mengjiao Zhou, Feifei An. SO₂ gas potentiator engineered for self-amplifying chemo-radiotherapy in breast tumors[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2026, 37(11): 112277. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.112277 shu

SO₂ gas potentiator engineered for self-amplifying chemo-radiotherapy in breast tumors

Fanchun Hu ^{a, 1} ,
Yuhan Ding ^{a, 1} ,
Caiting Deng ^a ,
Jingjing Zhang ^a ,
Wei Qu ^b ,
Yanqin Rong ^{a, b} ,
Nandi Chen ^{c, *,} ,
Mengjiao Zhou ^{d, *,} ,
Feifei An ^{a, *,}

a.
School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
b.
The Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710004, China
c.
Analysis and Testing Center, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China
d.
School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China

chennandi@sztu.edu.cn

mjzhou0207@ntu.edu.cn

anfeifei@xjtu.edu.cn

Received Date: 29 September 2025
Revised Date: 10 December 2025
Accepted Date: 12 December 2025
Available Online: 13 December 2025

Figures(6)

While chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy constitutes the standard postoperative tumor treatment, its therapeutic efficacy is frequently compromised by cancer cell resistance to chemoradiation. To enhance combretastatin A4 (CA4)-based chemotherapy and X-ray radiotherapy, we developed a glutathione (GSH)-responsive nanoplatform (CA4-DNBS@ICG) capable of generating sulfur dioxide (SO₂) for breast cancer therapy. The engineered CA4-DNBS@ICG nanoparticles are engulfed by tumor cells and subsequently release both SO₂ and CA4 upon encountering GSH-overexpressed tumor microenvironment. X-ray radiotherapy can induce DNA damages and elevate intracellular oxidative stress, while CA4 inhibits tubulin polymerization in cancer cells. SO₂ potentiates this effect by depleting GSH and amplifying oxidative stress, thereby dramatically increasing reactive oxygen species generation. This cascade significantly sensitizes 4T1 cancer cells to both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In vitro/in vivo experiments demonstrated that CA4-DNBS@ICG selectively eliminates 4T1 cancer cells and potently suppresses tumor growth with minimal systemic toxicity. Compared with conventional CA4 administration combined with radiotherapy, CA4-DNBS@ICG exhibited superior anticancer efficacy in 4T1 tumor-bearing mice via integrated gas/chemo-/radiotherapy, establishing a promising therapeutic strategy against breast cancer.
- SO₂,
- Gas therapy,
- Chemotherapy,
- Radiotherapy,
- Glutathione
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沈阳化工大学材料科学与工程学院沈阳 110142

SO2 gas potentiator engineered for self-amplifying chemo-radiotherapy in breast tumors

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通讯作者: 陈斌, bchen63@163.com

SO₂ gas potentiator engineered for self-amplifying chemo-radiotherapy in breast tumors