Gallium-enriched bimetallic nanomedicine for cervical tumour suppression via bioimaging-guided surgery and highly synergistic reactive oxygen species burst.

Cervical cancer continues to pose a substantial global health threat and is the fourth most prevalent cancer among women. Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus is the main cause of the development and progression of these tumours. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of clinical treatments is frequently limited. In this research, we developed a novel one-step method to engineer mesoporous gallium-enriched cerium oxide nanoparticles (Ga&Ce). Indocyanine green (ICG) dye was then encapsulated in the mesopores, creating the Ga&Ce-ICG nanomedicine. This nanomedicine has the remarkable ability to precisely accumulate in tumours and respond to the acidic tumour microenvironment. As a result, ICG, Ce3+/Ce4+, and Ga3+ are released inside the cells from the bimetallic nanomedicine. Meaningfully, when exposed to laser irradiation, a photothermal-reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst is generated through bimetallic catalysis. Specifically, the engineered Ga&Ce-ICG can accurately define the boundaries of tumours. Under the guidance of fluorescence imaging, tumours can be fully excised. These two features effectively suppress tumour cells both in vitro and in vivo. In particular, Ga&Ce-ICG exhibits prolonged blood circulation and outstanding biocompatibility. In conclusion, this study introduces a promising nanomedicine for cancer treatment, broadening the application of mesoporous Ga&Ce in combined cancer therapies.