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In vivo Application of the REMOTE-control System for the Manipulation of Endogenous Gene Expression
Published on: March 29, 2019
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Electromagnetic wireless remote control of mammalian transgene expression
Zhihua Lin1, Preetam Guha Ray1, Jinbo Huang1
1Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland.
Nature Nanotechnology
|May 5, 2025
Summary
Scientists developed a nanoparticle-cell interface for wireless control of gene expression using magnetic fields. This technology enables safe, externally controlled transgene regulation for biomedical applications like diabetes management.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Molecular Biology
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Wireless communication with biological systems is crucial for medical monitoring and gene/cell therapies.
- Current methods face limitations in minimally invasive applications.
- Developing efficient interfaces for external control of cellular functions is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create a nanoparticle-cell interface for wireless control of transgene expression.
- To enable electromagnetic programming of wireless expression regulation (EMPOWER) using cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS).
- To demonstrate a proof-of-concept for EMPOWER in a disease model.
Main Methods:
- Utilized multiferroic nanoparticles coated with chitosan to generate ROS within cells upon exposure to a low-frequency magnetic field.
- Employed ROS-responsive KEAP1/NRF2 biosensors to detect generated ROS.
- Rewired biosensors to synthetic ROS-responsive promoters to drive transgene expression.
- Developed an EMPOWER-controlled insulin expression system within alginate-microencapsulated cells.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated that chitosan-coated nanoparticles generate ROS at a biosafe level in response to a 1-kHz magnetic field.
- Successfully linked ROS generation to transgene expression via biosensors and synthetic promoters.
- Showcased normalized blood-glucose levels in a type 1 diabetes mouse model using EMPOWER-controlled insulin delivery.
- Validated the wireless, externally controlled regulation of gene expression in vivo.
Conclusions:
- The nanoparticle-cell interface (EMPOWER) provides a novel method for wireless, externally controlled transgene regulation.
- This technology holds significant potential for minimally invasive medical monitoring and advanced cell/gene therapies.
- EMPOWER offers a promising platform for precise, on-demand biological function control in therapeutic applications.
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