Virus‐Based Nanomotors for Cargo Delivery

Abstract

Self‐propelled nanomotors based on virus structure were designed, fabricated and characterized. Capsids from plant virus were covered on one hemisphere with platinum layer to promote motion in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. The Janus viral nanomotors (JVNs) with 25–30 nm diameter from brome mosaic virus (BMV) and cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) showed motion speeds of up to 9 μm/sec, depending of the peroxide fuel concentration in the medium. The JVNs can carry and deliver the chemo‐therapeutic drug Tamoxifen, and they are able to internalize into breast tumor cells without any functionalization. The therapeutic payload is released by a pH‐driven delivery action of the nanomotor. Here, the first proof of concept of a self‐propelled virus‐like nanoparticle is demonstrated. The attractive capabilities of nanomotors based on virus‐like nanoparticles (VLPs) pave the way to diverse biomedical applications.

Medical Micro/Nanorobots in Precision Medicine

“…When the virus was internalized inside a cell, its structure denaturalized due to a lower pH environment, which resulted in the autonomous release of the drug. [180] Another type of biotemplate was fabricated by turning red blood cells into microrobots. [181,182] This biorobot was fabricated by incorporating quantum dots, doxorubicin, and magnetic nanoparticles into red blood cell micromotors.…”

Emerging Micro/Nanomotor‐Based Platforms for Biomedical Therapy

“…Researchers also explored the possibility of using biological segments as the shell of the nanomotors. Recently, a virus‐like spherical motor has been fabricated for drug delivery. This Janus virus‐like nanomotors (25–30 nm in diameter) (JVNs) were composed of brome mosaic virus (BMV), cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV), and catalytic Pt (coated on half sphere of the NP).…”

Fabrication of Self‐Propelled Micro‐ and Nanomotors Based on Janus Structures

“…Similarly,P t/Au Janus nanomotors,w ith sizes of 30 nm, were also fabricated; these were the smallest nanomotorsatthat time. [26] At hin layer of Pt wasd eposited on one hemisphere of capsids from ap lant virus. Furthermore, polymericv esicles deposited with Pt showed ah igh drug-loading efficiency.…”

“…The virus capsid was also used for the fabrication of micro-and nanomotors ( Figure 4C). [26] At hin layer of Pt wasd eposited on one hemisphere of capsids from ap lant virus. Because the tumor sites produce ah igh concentration of H 2 O 2 and lower pH, the virus-based nanomotors showed an ability to target to specific areas and releaset he drug under pH stimuli.…”