@article{Wang2026, 
author = {Wu-Yin Wang and Haozhe Dong and En-Li Yang and Xiaoqian He and Zhiqiang Zhang and Qing Wang and Nian Chen and Hong Yi and Aiwen Lei and Zhi-Jun Sun},
title = {Dental curing light-triggered on-target CO release from NHC-Fe complex for cancer immunotherapy},
year = {2026},
journal = {Nano Research},
volume = {19},
number = {9},
pages = {94908830},
keywords = {immunotherapy, carbon monoxide-releasing molecules, biomimetic delivery, mitochondrial complex IV targeting, Fe-N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/NR.2026.94908830},
doi = {10.26599/NR.2026.94908830},
abstract = {Malignant tumors remain a leading cause of premature death worldwide, with disproportionately increasing burdens in resource-limited regions. Although immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has emerged as a transformative cancer therapy, its efficacy is often limited by the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Leveraging iron as the most abundant bioactive transition metal in Earth's crust, we report F-Fe, a complex IV-targeted carbon monoxide-releasing molecule (CORM) that is activated by a clinically approved dental light-curing unit to induce pyroptosis for reprogramming the TME. We developed a bioinspired delivery system named GLEAM to facilitate clinical applications that adhere to tissue surfaces while channeling light into deeper tissue for on-target CO release, simultaneously providing real-time visual feedback for treatment monitoring. Murine oral and breast cancer models validated the therapeutic efficacy, showing significant tumor suppression and TME remodeling. When combined with anti-PD-1 antibody (aPD-1) therapy, it markedly suppressed metastasis, prevented recurrence, and prolonged survival. Our findings suggest that Fe-based small molecules with biomimetic delivery can leverage dental light to boost ICB efficacy, offering a sustainable and translational approach to tumor treatment.}
}