Blocking the utilization of carbon sources via two pathways to induce tumor starvation for cancer treatment

Abstract

Glucose oxidase (GOx) is often used to starvation therapy. However, only consuming glucose cannot completely block the energy metabolism of tumor cells. Lactate can support tumor cell survival in the absence of glucose. Here, we constructed a nanoplatform (Met@HMnO₂-GOx/HA) that can deplete glucose while inhibiting the compensatory use of lactate by cells to enhance the effect of tumor starvation therapy. GOx can catalyze glucose into gluconic acid and H₂O₂, and then HMnO₂ catalyzes H₂O₂ into O₂ to compensate for the oxygen consumed by GOx, allowing the reaction to proceed sustainably. Furthermore, metformin (Met) can inhibit the conversion of lactate to pyruvate in a redox-dependent manner and reduce the utilization of lactate by tumor cells. Met@HMnO₂-GOx/HA nanoparticles maximize the efficacy of tumor starvation therapy by simultaneously inhibiting cellular utilization of two carbon sources. Therefore, this platform is expected to provide new strategies for tumor treatment.