Synergistic Apoptosis-Ferroptosis: Oxaliplatin loaded amorphous iron oxide nanoparticles for High-efficiency therapy of orthotopic pancreatic cancer and CA19-9 levels decrease

Pancreatic cancer is a highly malignant tumor with early metastasis, poor prognosis, and resistant to existing chemotherapy drugs such as oxaliplatin (Oxp). Therefore, a nanodrug of amorphous iron oxide packaged Oxp (AIOoxp) was proposed to achieve a more efficient treatment of orthotopic pancreatic cancer than that of free Oxp. The obtained AIOoxp increased the accumulation of Pt at tumor sites and effectively reduced Oxp-induced systemic toxicity. In addition, the Fe2+/Fe3+ ions released by AIOoxp react with H2O2 through Fenton's reaction and produce a large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which further induce ferroptosis, thus promoting Oxp-induced apoptosis and achieve synergistic tumor therapy. Furthermore, AIOoxp nanoplatforms can significantly reduce the levels of carbohydrate antigen 19–9 (CA19-9), which is the most important biomarker and promoter of pancreatic cancer, suggesting favorable therapeutic effects and prognosis. Overall, this study provides new insights and solutions for the clinical treatment of pancreatic cancer.