AUTHOR=Chen Bing , Chu Chengchao , Ren En , Lin Huirong , Zhang Yang , Wang Peiyu , Yao Hong , Liu Ailin , Liu Gang , Lin Xinhua 

TITLE=Metal Ion-Based Supramolecular Self-Assembly for Cancer Theranostics

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Chemistry

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemistry/articles/10.3389/fchem.2022.870769

DOI=10.3389/fchem.2022.870769

ISSN=2296-2646

ABSTRACT=<p>Metal-ion-based self-assembly supramolecular theranostics exhibit excellent performance in biomedical applications owing to their potential superiorities for simultaneous precise diagnosis, targeted drug delivery, and monitoring the response to therapy in real-time. Specially, the rational designed systems could achieve specific <italic>in vivo</italic> self-assembly through complexation or ionic interaction to improve tissue-specific accumulation, penetration, and cell internalization, thereby reducing toxicities of drugs in diagnostics and therapy. Furthermore, such imaging traceable nanosystems could provide real-timely information of drug accumulation and therapeutic effects in a non-invasive and safe manner. Herein, the article highlights the recent prominent applications based on the metal ions self-assembly in cancer treatment. This strategy may open up new research directions to develop novel drug delivery systems for cancer theranostics.</p>