Research Progress of Micro/Nanomotors in Crossing Biological Barriers

doi:10.19894/j.issn.1000-0518.240142

Chinese Journal of Applied Chemistry ›› 2024, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (10): 1409-1424.DOI: 10.19894/j.issn.1000-0518.240142

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Research Progress of Micro/Nanomotors in Crossing Biological Barriers

Wei-Chen ZHAO¹, Man-Lin QI¹, Jing ZHOU¹, Biao DONG²(), Lin WANG¹()

^1.School of Stomatology，Jilin University，Changchun 130021，China
^2.State Key Laboratory on Integrated Optoelectronics，College of Electronic Science and Engineering，Jilin University，Changchun 130012，China

Received:2024-05-06 Accepted:2024-08-30 Published:2024-10-01 Online:2024-10-29
Contact: Biao DONG,Lin WANG
About author:dongb@jlu.edu.cn
wanglin1982@jlu.edu.cn
Supported by:
the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82170998)

Abstract

Abstract:

Compared to traditional nanomedicines， micro/nanomotors offer significant advantages due to their autonomous movement capability， which provides a wider range of application possibilities. However， the complex barrier systems within the body， including cellular barriers， tissue barriers， and bacterial biofilm barriers， present significant obstacles. These biological barriers， ranging from the macroscopic to the microscopic level， hinder drugs from reaching their targets and exerting their effects through mechanisms of high selectivity and physical obstruction. Therefore， designing and optimizing micro/nanomotors to effectively traverse these biological barriers is a critical challenge in current research. This paper focuses on advancements in overcoming biological barriers using micro/nanomotors in the past five years， discussing the existing challenges and future research priorities. With continuous optimization by researchers， we believe that micro/nanomotors could pave the way for new therapeutic avenues by overcoming the biological barriers that traditional drugs cannot， thus providing more precise and effective solutions for clinical treatment.

Key words: Micro/nanomotors, Tissue barriers, Cell membrane barriers, Bacterial biofilms

CLC Number:

O648.1

Wei-Chen ZHAO, Man-Lin QI, Jing ZHOU, Biao DONG, Lin WANG. Research Progress of Micro/Nanomotors in Crossing Biological Barriers[J]. Chinese Journal of Applied Chemistry, 2024, 41(10): 1409-1424.

Figures/Tables 14

Fig.1 （A） Schematic of the synthesis of Pt@HSNs（DQ） nanomotor；（B） The apoptosis rate of tumor cells induced by Dox+Que， Pt@HSN and Pt@HSN（DQ） for 24 h was detected by flow cytometry and （C） cytotoxicity of cancer cells at different concentrations［31］

Fig.2 （A） Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy of Au/Pt-Ens precursors showing an asymmetric structure and （B） the growth process of Pt dendrites under transmission electron microscopy （TEM）；（C） The interaction of Rhodamine 110-modified Au/Pt-Ens with cancer cells in the presence and absence of glucose and （D） confocal laser scanning microscopy images after 10 min；（E） TEM images of cancer cells after treatment with Au/Pt-ENs in a glucose environment［34］

Fig.3 （A） Design strategy of PNMs；（B） Design strategy for the transport of fluorescein di（β-D-galactopyranoside）（FDG） and β-galactosidase （β-gal） mediated by PNMs in living cells；（C） Confocal images showing fluorescence changes in living cells before and after NIR irradiation［40］

Fig.4 （A） Preparation of tBT@PDA-CPT；（B） NIR irradiation generates thermophoretic force to propel the nanomotors for diffusion within tumor tissues， and the intrinsic pyroelectric field affects the membrane potential to enhance tumor cell internalization；（C） Comsol simulation of pyroelectric potential distribution along the polarity axis of tBT@PDA-CPT and （D） pyroelectric potentials at different temperature differences （ΔT） during the heating and cooling process［42］

Fig.5 （A） Cellular uptake of nanomotors； Colocalization of non-nanomotors （B） and nanomotors （C） in 4T1 cells［43］

Fig.6 （A） Schematic of the gold nanoshell-functionalized polymer tubular nanomotor crossing the cell membrane after exposure to NIR；（B-D） Time-lapse images showing the movement of the nanomotor towards HeLa cells under ultrasound and perforation upon NIR irradiation；（E） Confocal laser scanning microscope （CLSM） images of cells after perforation and （F） corresponding 3D reconstruction images；（G） SEM images of cells after perforation［44］

Fig.7 （A） Schematic diagram of a carbon helical nanorobots （C-HNR） actively approaching target cancer cells under a magnetic field， penetrating the cell membrane or nuclear membrane， and detecting intracellular Raman signals；（B） A cross-sectional image of the C-HNR penetrating the nuclear membrane；（C） The magnetic flux density （upper image） and pressure distribution （lower image） of the C-HNR；（D） Raman spectrum obtained from the C-HNR inside the nucleus of HeLa cells；（E） A comparison of bright-field and fluorescence images showing targeted photothermal therapy on a single HeLa cell before and after 20 min of NIR irradiation［45］

Fig.8 （A） Schematic diagram of the Au-Zn nanomotor inducing Ca2+ channel response and activating Jurkat T cells；（B） Time-lapse bright-field images of the Au-Zn nanomotor impacting Jurkat T cells；（C） Fluorescence change of the Fluo 4-AM （Ca2+ level indicator） stained Jurkat T cell after a single nanomotor collision［46］

Fig.9 （A） Schematic diagram of the nanomotor design；（B） Fluorescence of the nanomotor targeting glioblastoma

Fig.10 （A） Schematic diagram of the preparation of the biomimetic nanomotor with a macrophage membrane coating， featuring an asymmetric structure with a porous silica head loaded with curcumin and multiple manganese dioxide antennas；（B） Penetration of the macrophage membrane-coated nanomotor into a 3D cellular spheroid in vitro， with and without hydrogen peroxide［53］

Fig.11 （A，B） Under visible light irradiation， the TiO2@N-Au nanomotor undergoes a photoelectrochemical water splitting reaction， establishing a local asymmetric electric field that provides self-electrophoretic force to drive the motor through the vitreous；（C） SEM image of the vitreous network structure；（D） TEM image of the TiO2@N-Au nanomotor passing through the vitreous［56］

Fig.12 （A） Preparation of tBT@PDA-Cip；（B） The PDA layer generates photothermal and pyroelectric effects under near-infrared illumination， accelerating CIP release. The pyroelectric output disrupts bacterial membrane potentials， enhancing CIP entry［67］

Fig.13 （A） Preparation of DMSNs-Pt-LOX@Nisin and （B） “Top-to-down” or （C） “Bottom-to-top” targeting migration experiments against MRSA，（D） excluding the influence of gravity［68］

Fig.14 （A） Ca@PDAFe-CNO nanomotors can clear biofilms and bacteria under the joint effect of ·OH， NO and RNS， and （B） penetrate biofilms in vitro［69］

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Research Progress of Micro/Nanomotors in Crossing Biological Barriers

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