Bioinspired chiral nanozymes: Synthesis strategies, classification, biological effects and biomedical applications

Chiral nanozymes represent an exciting convergence of nanotechnology and enzymatic catalysis, possessing both the biologically inspired catalytic properties of nanomaterials and the chiral discrimination capabilities inherent in biological systems. As artificial nanozymes based on nanomaterials, chiral nanozymes possess significant advantages, including unique physical and chemical properties, enzyme-mimetic activities, and stereoselectivity dependent on chirality. The imperative pursuit of developing chiral nanozymes is underscored by their profound potential across a spectrum of domains, including chiral catalysis, environmental protection, biological therapy, and bioimaging. This enthusiasm is rooted in the enhanced stereospecificity and biocompatibility that chiral nanozymes evince within biological systems, surpassing those properties of conventional nanozymes. Given this, a growing number of considerable advances have been achieved regarding the rational design and biological application of chiral nanozymes. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the biological applications of chiral nanozymes. We systematically summarize and evaluate the synthesis methods and the classification of chiral nanozymes. A detailed discussion was provided on the relationship between chirality and the activities of nanozymes. Furthermore, the review also focuses on the applications of chiral nanozymes, including sensing, imaging, and biomedical therapy, thereby providing a deeper understanding of the evolution of chiral nanozymes. The chiral biological effects between chiral nanozymes and biological systems, including the interaction of chiral nanozymes with biomolecules, cellular recognition and internalization, participation of nanoparticles in intracellular biological processes, and cell toxicity, are also presented. The review ends with further challenges and prospects for chiral nanozymes with the expectation of facilitating their broader utilization.