Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) have been identified as secondary intracellular messengers that exacerbate ovarian cancer progression. Eliminating ROS from the tumor microenvironment presents a compelling strategy for ovarian cancer treatment. In this study, we synthesized a unique spherical petal-like ZnO-NiO p-n junction and evaluated its effectiveness as a ROS scavenger, aiming to curb the proliferation and migration of ovarian cancer cells. Through Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays, colony formation tests, and Transwell co-culture experiments, we observed that the ZnO-NiO junction curtails ovarian cancer cell proliferation and migration, all while ensuring negligible toxicity to normal human granulosa KGN cells. The anti-cancer efficacy of ZnO-NiO was further validated in vivo, employing an ovarian cancer peritoneal metastasis model. Techniques such as in vivo imaging system (IVIS) imaging, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, and Ki-67 immunostaining collectively attested that ZnO-NiO markedly obstructs ovarian cancer growth and metastasis. Notably, ZnO-NiO eradicated the heightened ROS levels induced by ovarian cancer cells within normal cells. Collectively, these findings underscore the potential of ZnO-NiO as a novel therapeutic avenue for ovarian cancer. They also amplify the promise of ROS-scavenging nanoparticles in clinical contexts. The pioneering work on ZnO-NiO not only heralds a promising intervention against ovarian cancer but also stimulates future explorations in ROS-centric cancer therapies.
Liu et al. (2026) studied this question.