A pH-responsive layered double hydroxide nanoradiosensitizer for bone metastasis tumor

Breast cancer bone metastasis causes severe complications, yet current radiotherapy has limitations in treating secondary metastases and protecting healthy tissues. This study introduces calcium gadolinium layered double hydroxide (CaGd-LDH), a novel nanoradiosensitizer combining gadolinium (Gd) and calcium (Ca2+) in a layered double hydroxide (LDH) structure. This design enables dual therapeutic functionalities to realize high Z element Gd-mediated radiosensitization and pH-responsive Ca2+ release to trigger pyroptosis-induced immunotherapy, addressing both local tumor control and metastatic spread in breast cancer bone lesions. In vitro, it induces reactive oxygen species production, DNA damage, and pyroptosis via caspase-1/GSDMD pathway activation, which can significantly suppresses breast cancer cell proliferation. In vivo, CaGd-LDH combined with X-ray irradiation inhibits tumor growth, reduces cell proliferation, activates pyroptosis, and suppresses lung metastasis in a breast cancer bone metastasis mouse model. This multifunctional CaGd-LDH integrates radiosensitization, pyroptosis induction, and good biocompatibility, offering a promising strategy to improve local therapy and inhibit distant metastasis in breast cancer bone metastasis.