The rapid evolution of cell-based
theranostics has attracted extensive attention due to their unique advantages in biomedical applications. However, the inherent functions of cells alone cannot meet the needs of malignant
tumor treatment. Thus endowing original cells with new characteristics to generate multifunctional living cells may hold a tremendous promise. Here, the nanoengineering method is used to combine customized
liposomes with neutrophils, generating
oxygen-carrying sonosensitizer cells with acoustic functions, which are called Acouscyte/O2 , for the visual diagnosis and treatment of
cancer. Specifically,
oxygen-carried
perfluorocarbon and
temoporfin are encapsulated into
cRGD peptide modified multilayer
liposomes (C-ML/HPT/O2 ), which are then loaded into live neutrophils to obtain Acouscyte/O2 . Acouscyte/O2 can not only carry a large amount of
oxygen but also exhibits the ability of long circulation,
inflammation-triggered recruitment, and decomposition. Importantly, Acouscyte/O2 can be selectively accumulated in
tumors, effectively enhancing
tumor oxygen levels, and triggering anticancer sonodynamics in response to ultrasound stimulation, leading to complete obliteration of
tumors and efficient extension of the survival time of
tumor-bearing mice with minimal systemic adverse effects. Meanwhile, the
tumors can be monitored in real time by
temoporfin-mediated fluorescence imaging and
perfluorocarbon (PFC)-
microbubble-enhanced ultrasound imaging. Therefore, the nanoengineered neutrophils, i.e., Acouscyte/O2 , are a new type of multifunctional cellular drug, which provides a new platform for the diagnosis and sonodynamic
therapy of solid malignant
tumors.