GSH Triggered Copper-Complexes as Nano-Prodrug for NIR-II Fluorescence Monitoring Cuproptosis in Tumor Therapy

Abstract

A NIR-II fluorescent copper complex (Et-DPA-Cu) is developed for activatable cuproptosis therapy. It releases Cu+ upon tumor-overexpressed glutathione, triggering a Fenton-like reaction and cuproptosis while switching on NIR-II fluorescence via a photoinduced electron transfer mechanism. Encapsulated as a nano-prodrug (EDCP), it achieves tumor-selective accumulation, enabling high-contrast real-time NIR-II imaging and potent cuproptosis-mediated tumor suppression.