Smart Nanoparticles Use Hydrogen Gas to Kill Cancer Cells
- Authors
- Chunxue Dai, Yingjiao He, Hongyan Lu, Xiaotong Feng, Naling Long, Qile Song, Yuwei Li, Yifan Wang, Lisandra L Martin, Cundong Fan, Dongdong Sun
- Journal
- Biomaterials
- Year
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2025.123635
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Cancer
- Body System
- Cellular
TL;DR
Researchers created a light-activated nanoparticle that safely releases hydrogen and selenium inside tumors to kill cancer cells by triggering oxidative stress and cell death.
Key Finding
A palladium-selenium nanoparticle that releases hydrogen gas when exposed to near-infrared light triggered ferroptosis and inhibited tumor growth in mice, with no observed toxic side effects.
Summary
Researchers designed a tiny nanoparticle made of palladium and selenium that can store and release hydrogen gas when exposed to near-infrared light (a type of invisible light). In laboratory tests with cancer cells and in mice, this nanoparticle accumulated in tumors and released hydrogen, which triggered a type of cancer cell death called ferroptosis (a process where cells accumulate damaging molecules). The nanoparticle slowed cancer cell growth and reduced tumor size in mice without apparent toxic effects.
Practical Takeaway
This is early-stage laboratory research in cells and animals only—not yet tested in humans. While the results are promising for a potential future cancer therapy, this nanoparticle approach is fundamentally different from drinking hydrogen water and cannot be compared to it. Many promising laboratory findings do not translate to human treatments, so much more research would be needed before any clinical applications.
Abstract
Hydrogen therapy as an emerging strategy for anticancer medicine is attracting attention. However, the limitations of effective hydrogen storage and release have hindered its development and application for hydrogen therapy. Herein, a high hydrogen storage nanoquadruplex (PdH0.2)4Se based on a palladium-selenium core has been designed and shows enhanced intratumoral accumulation via an enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. High-efficiency hydrogen can be released from (PdH0.2)4Se, activated by near infrared irradiation (NIR), and combines with available selenium (Se) to produce highly toxic hydrogen selenide (H2Se), which in turn unbalances the GSH/GSSG ratio and induces ROS overproduction. The effect demonstrates that (PdH0.2)4Se irradiated by NIR significantly inhibits cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis in vitro. Furthermore, irradiation of (PdH0.2)4Se by NIR can induce significant ferroptosis of cancer cells by triggering mitochondrial dysfunction, ROS generation and lipid peroxidation-mediated oxidative damage in vitro. Finally, NIR irradiated (PdH0.2)4Se also exhibits tumor-targeted photothermal imaging, and inhibition of tumor growth in vivo activating cancer ferroptosis. Importantly, (PdH0.2)4Se demonstrates excellent safety and biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo. Thus together, our findings support the rational design of an effective hydrogen storage (PdH0.2)4Se nanoquadruplex with NIR-controlled release causing an unbalance of cellular GSH/GSSG and inducing cancer ferroptosis could be a highly efficient strategy for hydrogen-mediated cancer therapy.