Au@CeO2 nanozyme–based targeted delivery platform for computed tomography–guided synergistic antioxidant/mild photothermal therapy of inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

The progression of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is exacerbated significantly by the excess production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and pro-inflammatory cytokines In this report, a colon-targeted nanotheranostic agent, Au@CeO₂ nanozymes@Eudragit S100 (termed as AuCeP@Eudragit), was prepared for computed tomography (CT)–guided synergistic antioxidant therapy and mild photothermal therapy (mPTT) of IBD by encapsulating polyacrylic acid–coated Au@CeO₂ nanozymes (termed as AuCeP) into Eudragit 100. Due to its strong antioxidant and photothermal properties, AuCeP exhibits excellent ROS-scavenging activity and reduces pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, which can be further enhanced under mild 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. Moreover, the contrast of intestinal CT imaging can be enhanced by the AuCeP@Eudragit introduction, because of the colon targeting of AuCeP@Eudragit as well as the strong X-ray absorption capacity. AuCeP@Eudragit shows good biocompatibility and favorable therapeutic effects in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)–induced acute colitis, demonstrating its potential use in IBD treatment.