The Polymer Society of Korea

조상민 (전북대학교)

이동원 (전북대학교)

Cancer cells produce high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and depend on glutathione (GSH) to maintain redox balance. Disrupting this system is a promising anticancer strategy. We developed GLOXmp, a nanotherapeutic that induces ROS and depletes GSH, amplifying oxidative stress in tumors. This stress upregulates  γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), which promotes nanparticle uptake.

A self-amplifying mechanism is established, where increased GGT expression enhances GLOXmp internalization, further boosting ROS and therapeutic efficacy. GLOXmp forms micelles from cinnamaldehyde-based polymers, co-loaded with GSH-depleting agents and modified with tumor-targeting ligands.

In xenograft models, GLOXmp led to sustained oxidative stress, high tumor accumulation, and complete tumor regression without-systemic toxicity. This redox-driven tumor reprogramming offers a dynamic and selective strategy for precision nanomedicine.