Protein Corona-Tailored Nanoplatform Boosts Tumor Accumulation and Reprograms Macrophages for Osteosarcoma Therapy

Nano Lett. 2026 May 20;26(19):6419-6430. doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.6c01040. Epub 2026 May 5.

Abstract

Osteosarcoma is featured with an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and limited therapeutic efficacy. Herein, we report a pH-responsive nanoplatform based on calcium phosphate (CaP)-coated Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB@CaP NPs) for optimized systemic delivery and antitumor immune response. The CaP interface inhibits the protein corona formation in blood, reducing complement-mediated clearance and prolonging circulation, and enhancing tumor accumulation of the nanoparticles. The pH-responsive dissolution of PB@CaP NPs enables the sequential release of calcium ions in the acidic TME and iron ions in lysosomes, together with the peroxidase-like catalytic activity of the PB core, establishing a synergistic ion/nanozyme signaling axis that triggers robust ROS generation and oxidative stress, thereby reprogramming tumor-associated macrophages from an immunosuppressive M2-like to a pro-inflammatory M1-like phenotype and remodeling the tumor immune microenvironment. This study provides a rational surface engineering strategy for nanoimmunotherapy.

Keywords: Nanoimmunotherapy; Osteosarcoma; Protein corona; Tumor microenvironment; Tumor-associated macrophages.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Bone Neoplasms* / immunology
  • Bone Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Calcium Phosphates / chemistry
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Ferrocyanides / chemistry
  • Ferrocyanides / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Immunotherapy
  • Macrophages* / drug effects
  • Mice
  • Nanoparticles* / chemistry
  • Osteosarcoma* / drug therapy
  • Osteosarcoma* / immunology
  • Osteosarcoma* / pathology
  • Protein Corona* / chemistry
  • Tumor Microenvironment / drug effects

Substances

  • Protein Corona
  • Calcium Phosphates
  • calcium phosphate
  • Ferrocyanides
  • ferric ferrocyanide