Leukocyte Membrane-Coated Liquid Metal Nanoswimmers for Actively Targeted Delivery and Synergistic Chemophotothermal Therapy

Abstract

<jats:p>We report a leukocyte membrane-coated gallium nanoswimmer (LMGNS) capable of ultrasound-propelled motion, antibiofouling, and cancer cell recognition and targeting. The LMGNS consists of a needle-shaped gallium core encapsulating an anticancer drug and a natural leukocyte membrane shell. Under the propulsion of an ultrasound field, LMGNSs could autonomously move in biological media with a speed up to 108.7 <jats:italic>μ</jats:italic>m s<jats:sup>−1</jats:sup>. The velocity and motion direction of the LMGNSs can be modulated by regulating the frequency and voltage of the applied ultrasound field. Owing to the leukocyte membrane coating, LMGNSs can not only avoid biofouling during the motion in blood but also possess cancer cell recognition capability. These LMGNSs could actively seek, penetrate, and internalize into the cancer cells and achieve enhanced anticancer efficiency by combined photothermal and chemical therapy. Such biofunctionalized liquid metal nanoswimmer presents a new type of multifunctional platform for biomedical applications.</jats:p>

Medical Micro/Nanorobots in Precision Medicine

“…More recent developments have aimed at miniaturizing robotic platforms for surgery at the individual cell level. [283][284][285][286] The external spatiotemporal control and active manipulation of micro/nanorobots inside living cells have permitted to unprecedented access to the biophysical fundamentals going from gene expression or dynamic mechanical mapping of the intracellular environment to drug delivery and sensing. [287] Ultrasound powered microrobots have demonstrated the ability to internalize and propel inside individual living cells.…”

Mini/Micro/Nano Scale Liquid Metal Motors

“…Chemical propulsion (in water) [95] Acoustic propulsion [8,9] Network Repairing Chemical propulsion [6] Assembly Acoustic propulsion [25] Others Cargo transfer/vessel cleaning Magnetic propulsion [84,99] Cooling system/Mixer Magnetic propulsion [101] 5.1. Biomedicine LM with softness, flexibility, biosafety, and biodegradability are attractive in biomedicine.…”

“…The Ga-based LMs have recently shown great values in various scopes of applications owing to their unique properties ( Table 1 ), such as basic metallic characteristics (high thermal conductivity, good electrical conductivity, radiopacity, and electromagnetic properties), amorphous properties (superb fluidity, excellent flexibility, shape transformability, self-healing capability, reconfigurability, and low viscosity), and several featured properties (facile functionalization accessibility, good biocompatibility, biodegradability, low toxicity, catalytic properties, photothermal/photodynamic capability, and stimuli responsiveness). Because of these unique properties, LMs hold a great possibility to supplement the vacant applications of conventional materials-based MNMTs, such as microfluidics [ 4 , 5 ], repairing nanonetwork [ 6 ], imaging [ 7 ], cancer-targeting [ 8 , 9 ], vascular embolism, and so on [ 10 , 11 ].…”

“…Once the size of the LM declines to the micro-nano field, asymmetric structure designs of LM are essential to achieve effective propulsion. Although the surface oxide makes the MLMTs in a core-shell structure, it is helpful to maintain its shape, separate state, and prevent fusion [ 6 , 8 , 25 ], as it can also cause deformation. So far, although great progress has been achieved in MLMTs, it is still a significant challenge to quickly mass-produce MLMTs, precisely control the motion, perform more delicate tasks, and achieve more potential applications.…”

A Journey of Nanomotors for Targeted Cancer Therapy: Principles, Challenges, and a Critical Review of the State‐of‐the‐Art

“…Few of the above materials can spontaneously degrade into non-toxic chemicals. Recent development of bubble-filled nanomotors made of polymers [169,170] and acoustic nanomotors made of liquid metals [171] show promise in this aspect. Although functional and completely biodegradable nanomotors are in principle possible, there is only limited experimental demonstration, [166][167][168] and they are often less powerful than needed to overcome blood flows.…”