Rare earth regulatory defect engineering: A multifunctional nanoplatform for breast cancer therapy through PANoptosis

Photocatalytic therapy (PCT) is a minimally invasive technique that utilizes reactive oxygen species (ROS) to selectively and optically impair tumor cells. However, the limited efficacy of photocatalysts hinders their more comprehensive application. In this study, we successfully synthesized Ce and S-doped Bi2O3 (BOSC) nanosheets through topological synthesis. BOSC exhibits CAT-like and POD-like enzyme activities and can generate ROS and heat upon near-infrared light irradiation, thereby amplifying tumor oxidative stress. Introducing rare earth Ce element enhances light absorption, introduces oxygen vacancies, reduces bandgap, and facilitates charge separation. This Ce-doping also modifies the band position and Fermi level of BOSC, resulting in increased band bending at the solid–liquid interface, enabling a cascade reaction of ROS and enhancing ROS production. Additionally, BOSC demonstrates multiple enzyme activities by depleting GSH and catalyzing the production of ROS and O2 from endogenous H2O2, thereby exacerbating cellular oxidative damage. The synergistic effect of BOSC post-illumination induces panoptosis, thereby improving the therapeutic efficacy against tumors. This strategy, involving the modulation of band structure and band bending through ion doping to introduce oxygen defects into the photosensitizer, provides a viable approach to enhance tumor phototherapy.