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Light-driven liquid metal nanotransformers for biomedical theranostics
Svetlana A Chechetka1, Yue Yu1, Xu Zhen2
1Department of Materials and Chemistry, Nanomaterials Research Institute (NMRI), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 5, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan.
Nature Communications
|June 1, 2017
Summary
Photopolymerized liquid metals (LMs) form nanocapsules for drug delivery. Upon near-infrared laser exposure, these nanocapsules release drugs, enable imaging, and eliminate cancer cells, offering a multifunctional theranostic platform.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Materials Science
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Room temperature liquid metals (LMs) are emerging multifunctional materials with unique properties.
- Developing advanced drug delivery systems with imaging and therapeutic capabilities is crucial for theranostics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate photopolymerized liquid metals (LMs) as a novel platform for drug delivery and bioimaging.
- To explore the theranostic potential of LM nanocapsules under near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of photopolymerized LM nanocapsules with high water dispersibility and low toxicity.
- Irradiation of nanocapsules with biologically neutral near-infrared (NIR) laser.
- Evaluation of drug release, cellular effects, microfluidic manipulation, X-ray-enhanced imaging, and photoacoustic imaging in biological models.
Main Results:
- LM nanocapsules generate heat and reactive oxygen species upon NIR laser exposure.
- NIR laser irradiation induced nanocapsule destruction, contactless drug release, and optical manipulation of microfluidic models.
- Demonstrated effective cancer cell elimination, control of intercellular calcium ion flux, and photoacoustic imaging in living animals.
Conclusions:
- Photopolymerized LMs form versatile nanocapsules with significant theranostic applications.
- The LM nanocapsule system offers a powerful tool for targeted drug delivery, bioimaging, and cancer therapy.
