Systematic Research and Evaluation Models of Nanomotors for Cancer Combined Therapy

Abstract

Limited tumor permeability of therapeutic agents is a great challenge faced by current cancer therapy methods. Herein, a kind of near infrared light (NIR)‐driven nanomotor with autonomous movement, targeted ability, hierarchical porous structure, multi‐drugs for cancer chemo/photothermal therapy is designed, prepared and characterized. Further, we establish a method to study the interaction between nanomotors and cells, along with their tumor permeability mechanism, including 2D cellular models, 3D multicellular tumor spheroids and in vivo models. In vivo tumor elimination results verify that the movement behaviour of the nanomotors can greatly facilitate them to eliminate tumor through multiple therapeutic methods. This work tries to establish systematic research and evaluation models, providing strategies to understand the relationship between motion behaviour and tumor permeation efficiency of nanomotors in depth.

Nanomotor-based adsorbent for blood Lead(II) removal in vitro and in pig models

“…The adsorbent concentration was 5 mg mL − 1 . After the second circulation, the main organ tissues of the pig were cut and stained, then observed and photographed under an optical microscope [ 50 ]. The blood before and after the two circulations was digested at high temperature (180 °C, 2 h).…”

Engineering microrobots for targeted cancer therapies from a medical perspective

“…Common to all microrobot classes is their active motion, which is attractive for increasing penetration into, and accumulation in, tumours/tissues, as has been illustrated for cells, such as bacteria, immune cells and sperm, and their engineered versions in hybrid microrobots [23][24][25][26] . Enhanced tumour penetration also represents an exciting research goal for synthetic microrobots with promising in vivo results emerging 27,28 . Moreover, active motion has potential to increase cellular uptake of delivery vehicles, which has been demonstrated in normal and cancer-relevant cellular contexts based on different actuation mechanisms as well as microrobot size [29][30][31][32][33][34][35] .…”

“…For example, bottom-up self-assembled synthetic microrobots have only recently been extended to small, sub-micrometre regimes optimised for systemic application 29 . Excitingly, first in vivo data for synthetic microrobots in the sub-micrometre size range are emerging, demonstrating that their motion can markedly promote extravasation into tumour tissues 27 . Other application routes, e.g., via the gastrointestinal tract or the reproductive system allow targeting of certain cancers/cancer lesions inside these systems without the need for systemic circulation, thereby avoiding biological filters such as the lung, liver, spleen and kidney.…”

“…However, studies for synthetic (Fig. 7a) 27,28 and hybrid microrobots (Fig. 7b, c) 87,98 in living organisms are increasingly emerging.…”

“…Propulsion of synthetic microrobots can be achieved through physical or chemical means. Physical actuation can be mediated by varying external physical fields, for example, using magnetic fields 48 – 50 , ultrasound 51 – 53 or light 54 , as well as light-induced thermogradients 27 . Varying physical fields can be used for microrobot propulsion or guidance.…”