A Metal-Phenolic Nanosensitizer Performs Hydrogen Sulfide-Reprogrammed Oxygen Metabolism for Cancer Radiotherapy Intensification and Immunogenicity.

Radiotherapy (RT) is hampered by the limited oxygen in tumors, which could be potentiated via reprogramming the oxygen metabolism and increasing the oxygen utilization efficiency. Herein, a metal-phenolic nanosensitizer (Hf-PSP-DTC@PLX) was integrated via an acid-sensitive hydrogen sulfide (H2 S) donor (polyethylene glycol-co-polydithiocarbamates, PEG-DTC) and a hafnium-chelated polyphenolic semiconducting polymer (Hf-PSP) in an amphiphilic polymer (poloxamer F127, PLX). Hf-PSP-DTC@PLX elicited a high imaging performance for precise RT and generated H2 S to reduce the cellular oxygen consumption rate via mitochondrial respiration inhibition, which reprogrammed the oxygen metabolism for improvement of the tumor oxygenation. Then, Hf-sensitization could fully utilize the well-preserved oxygen to intensify RT efficacy and activate immunogenicity. Such a synergistic strategy for improvement of oxygenation and oxygen utilization would have great potential in optimizing oxygen-dependent therapeutics.