Macrophage membrane-coated iron oxide nanoparticles for enhanced photothermal tumor therapy.

Nanotechnology possesses the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of tumors. The ideal nanoparticles used for in vivo cancer therapy should own long blood circulation and active cancer targeting. Additionally, they should be innoxious and invisible to the immune system. Here, we developed a biomimetic nanoplatform with the above properties for cancer therapy. Macrophage membranes were reconstructed into vesicles and then coated onto magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs). Inherited from the Fe3O4 core and the macrophage membrane shell, the resulting Fe3O4@MM NPs exhibited good biocompatibility, immune evasion, cancer targeting, and light-to-heat conversion capabilities. Due to the favor in vitro and in vivo properties, biomimetic Fe3O4@MM NPs were further used for highly effective photothermal therapy (PTT) of breast cancer in nude mice. Surface modification of synthetic nanomaterials with biomimetic cell membranes incarnates a novel strategy toward designing an ideal nanoplatform for translational medicine.