Environmentally Adaptive Shape-Morphing Microrobots for Localized Cancer Cell Treatment.

Journal: ACS nano
Published Date: Nov 23, 2021

Abstract

Microrobots have attracted considerable attention due to their extensive applications in microobject manipulation and targeted drug delivery. To realize more complex micro-/nanocargo manipulation (., encapsulation and release) in biological applications, it is highly desirable to endow microrobots with a shape-morphing adaptation to dynamic environments. Here, environmentally adaptive shape-morphing microrobots (SMMRs) have been developed by programmatically encoding different expansion rates in a pH-responsive hydrogel. Due to a combination with magnetic propulsion, a shape-morphing microcrab (SMMC) is able to perform targeted microparticle delivery, including gripping, transporting, and releasing by "opening-closing" of a claw. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, a shape-morphing microfish (SMMF) is designed to encapsulate a drug (doxorubicin (DOX)) by closing its mouth in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH ∼ 7.4) and release the drug by opening its mouth in a slightly acidic solution (pH < 7). Furthermore, localized HeLa cell treatment in an artificial vascular network is realized by "opening-closing" of the SMMF mouth. With the continuous optimization of size, motion control, and imaging technology, these magnetic SMMRs will provide ideal platforms for complex microcargo operations and on-demand drug release.

Authors

  • Chen Xin
    Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Key Laboratory of Precision Scientific Instrumentation of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
  • Dongdong Jin
    Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong.
  • Yanlei Hu
    Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Key Laboratory of Precision Scientific Instrumentation of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
  • Liang Yang
  • Rui Li
    Department of Oncology, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Science, Beijing, China.
  • Li Wang
    College of Marine Electrical Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, China.
  • Zhongguo Ren
    Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Key Laboratory of Precision Scientific Instrumentation of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
  • Dawei Wang
    Institute of Advanced Research, Infervision Medical Technology Co., Ltd, Beijing, China.
  • Shengyun Ji
    Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Key Laboratory of Precision Scientific Instrumentation of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
  • Kai Hu
    State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
  • Deng Pan
    Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Key Laboratory of Precision Scientific Instrumentation of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
  • Hao Wu
    Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University (Shaoxing), Shaoxing, China.
  • Wulin Zhu
    Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Key Laboratory of Precision Scientific Instrumentation of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
  • Zuojun Shen
    Department of Industrial Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
  • Yucai Wang
    Intelligent Nanomedicine Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine and Division of Molecular Medicine, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
  • Jiawen Li
    Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, The University of Adelaide Adelaide SA Australia.
  • Li Zhang
    Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
  • Dong Wu
  • Jiaru Chu
    Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Key Laboratory of Precision Scientific Instrumentation of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.

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