Polyoxometalate nanomaterials for enhanced reactive oxygen species theranostics

The dual effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on living organisms have become a hot research topic in the biomedical field. Excessive ROS triggers oxidative imbalances in the body, which damage biomolecules, normal cells, and even organs, and lead to inflammation, organ injury, aging, and diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. ROS levels can also be regulated to attack tumors and bacteria. Benefiting from the rapid advances in nanoscience, the potential of polyoxometalates (POMs) to modulate ROS has been intensively investigated in many fields of modern medicine. This paper reviews recent major breakthroughs in ROS-based POMs for various disease treatment and sensing diagnostics, including for treating tumors, Alzheimer’s disease, aging, bacterial contamination, organ injury, and the sensing of dopamine, artemisinin, ascorbic acid, and Fe2+ to aid in diagnosis. In this review, we have provided researchers with the latest information in this field by concisely analyzing the intrinsic link between ROS and diseases with sensing and have highlighted the mechanisms by which POM-based nanoplatforms modulate ROS. Additionally, the clinical potential of POM-based nanoplatforms, and their future challenges and directions for development have also been summarized. This review will assist researchers in developing more ROS-based POM nanoplatforms and other nanomaterials to generate more advanced therapeutic and diagnostic technologies to benefit humans, while advancing materials science and biomedicine.