# Redox-modulating macrophage biohybrid nanoplatform for targeted RIPK1-PANoptosome suppression in ischemic stroke

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a nanoplatform that uses engineered macrophages to target and reduce harmful inflammation in stroke by restoring redox balance and tracking the treatment in real time.

## Contribution

A novel MRI-trackable biohybrid nanoplatform that combines redox regulation and inflammation targeting for precision therapy in ischemic stroke.

## Key findings

- The nanoplatform selectively accumulates at post-ischemic neuroinflammatory sites and suppresses oxidative stress.
- It inhibits the PANoptosis pathway, improving neuronal survival and neurological recovery in stroke models.
- The platform enables real-time imaging and spatiotemporal regulation of redox dynamics in the brain.

## Abstract

Disruption of redox homeostasis during reperfusion triggers a complex and dynamic neuroinflammatory cascade in ischemic stroke, posing a major barrier to precision therapy. Although cellular therapies have emerged as a promising strategy, their clinical translation is hindered by the lack of tools capable of simultaneously tracking cell delivery and modulating pathological redox imbalance in vivo. Here, we report an MRI-trackable engineered macrophage-derived biohybrid nanoplatform that integrates the inflammation-homing capacity of macrophages, the imaging functionality of ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, and the redox-regulating activity of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl-doped lipids to restore local redox homeostasis. Leveraging their innate tropism toward inflamed tissue, the engineered macrophages selectively accumulate at sites of post-ischemic neuroinflammation. Concurrently, their intrinsic reactive oxygen species-scavenging capability alleviates oxidative stress, thereby suppressing a redox-dependent network of programmed cell death PANoptosis. In vivo ischemic stroke models demonstrate that this redox-modulating biohybrid nanoplatform significantly inhibits oxidative stress-induced PANoptosis, leading to enhanced neuronal survival and improved neurological recovery. Notably, the engineered macrophages function as both redox state imagers and active modulators, enabling real-time visualization and spatiotemporal regulation of redox dynamics within the ischemic brain. Collectively, this work establishes a precision theranostic strategy to disrupt the oxidative stress-PANoptosis axis and highlights a broadly applicable platform for the treatment of oxidative stress and inflammation associated diseases.

Image 1

•Engineered macrophage-derived MRI trackable biohybrid nanoplatform (MA@ULips) retained the homing ability toward inflammatory sites, precisely navigated to neuroinflammatory regions, enabling precisely targeted therapy for neuroinflammation.•MA@ULips suppressed the PANoptosis pathway by inhibiting multiple cell death mechanisms, overcoming the limitations of traditional anti-inflammatory monotherapeutic strategies.•MA@ULips enabled integrated theranostics for neuroinflammation in acute ischemic stroke by MRI-guided monitoring of macrophage distribution.

Engineered macrophage-derived MRI trackable biohybrid nanoplatform (MA@ULips) retained the homing ability toward inflammatory sites, precisely navigated to neuroinflammatory regions, enabling precisely targeted therapy for neuroinflammation.

MA@ULips suppressed the PANoptosis pathway by inhibiting multiple cell death mechanisms, overcoming the limitations of traditional anti-inflammatory monotherapeutic strategies.

MA@ULips enabled integrated theranostics for neuroinflammation in acute ischemic stroke by MRI-guided monitoring of macrophage distribution.