Advances in the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury with Nanozymes

Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) with increasing incidence can lead to severe disability. The pathological process involves complex mechanisms such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and neuron apoptosis. Current treatment strategies focusing on the relief of oxidative stress and inflammation have achieved good effects, while many problems and challenges remain such as the side effect and short half-life of the therapeutic agents. Nanozymes exhibiting good biocatalytic activities can sustainably scavenge free radicals, inhibit neuroinflammation, and protect the neurons. With high stability in physiological conditions and cost-effectiveness, the nanozymes provide a new strategy for SCI treatment. In this Review, we outline the advances of nanozymes and their enzyme-mimicking activities and highlight the progress in the intervention of SCI-adopting nanozymes. We also propose future directions and clinical translation for the nanozyme strategy against SCI.