Catalytic immunotherapy for cancer: Nanoparticles act as artificial enzymes

Theoretically, our immune system could detect and kill cancer cells. Unfortunately, tumors are well armed to fight these attacks. Despite modern cancer treatments, metastases and relapses remain a major problem. Increasing anti-tumor immunity might now be made possible, thanks to copper telluride nanoparticles that mimic enzymes, especially under NIR-II light irradiation. This induces oxidative stress in tumor cells, quashing their immunosuppressive status and triggering inflammatory processes, as Chinese scientists report in the journal Angewandte Chemie.