Inhalable biohybrid microrobots: a non-invasive approach for lung treatment
Abstract Amidst the rising prevalence of respiratory diseases, the importance of effective lung treatment modalities is more critical than ever. However, current drug delivery systems face significant limitations that impede their efficacy and therapeutic outcome. Biohybrid microrobots have shown co...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56032-4 |
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| author | Zhengxing Li Zhongyuan Guo Fangyu Zhang Lei Sun Hao Luan Zheng Fang Jeramy L. Dedrick Yichen Zhang Christine Tang Audrey Zhu Yiyan Yu Shichao Ding Dan Wang An-Yi Chang Lu Yin Lynn M. Russell Weiwei Gao Ronnie H. Fang Liangfang Zhang Joseph Wang |
| author_facet | Zhengxing Li Zhongyuan Guo Fangyu Zhang Lei Sun Hao Luan Zheng Fang Jeramy L. Dedrick Yichen Zhang Christine Tang Audrey Zhu Yiyan Yu Shichao Ding Dan Wang An-Yi Chang Lu Yin Lynn M. Russell Weiwei Gao Ronnie H. Fang Liangfang Zhang Joseph Wang |
| author_sort | Zhengxing Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Amidst the rising prevalence of respiratory diseases, the importance of effective lung treatment modalities is more critical than ever. However, current drug delivery systems face significant limitations that impede their efficacy and therapeutic outcome. Biohybrid microrobots have shown considerable promise for active in vivo drug delivery, especially for pulmonary applications via intratracheal routes. However, the invasive nature of intratracheal administration poses barriers to its clinical translation. Herein, we report on an efficient non-invasive inhalation-based method of delivering microrobots to the lungs. A nebulizer is employed to encapsulate picoeukaryote algae microrobots within small aerosol particles, enabling them to reach the lower respiratory tract. Post nebulization, the microrobots retain their motility (~55 μm s-1) to help achieve a homogeneous lung distribution and long-term retention exceeding five days in the lungs. Therapeutic efficacy is demonstrated in a mouse model of acute methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia using this pulmonary inhalation approach to deliver microrobots functionalized with platelet membrane-coated polymeric nanoparticles loaded with vancomycin. These promising findings underscore the benefits of inhalable biohybrid microrobots in a setting that does not require anesthesia, highlighting the substantial translational potential of this delivery system for routine clinical applications. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-69962b8fb7f04f679488e6a65b3a1e0a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-69962b8fb7f04f679488e6a65b3a1e0a2025-01-19T12:30:59ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-01-0116111310.1038/s41467-025-56032-4Inhalable biohybrid microrobots: a non-invasive approach for lung treatmentZhengxing Li0Zhongyuan Guo1Fangyu Zhang2Lei Sun3Hao Luan4Zheng Fang5Jeramy L. Dedrick6Yichen Zhang7Christine Tang8Audrey Zhu9Yiyan Yu10Shichao Ding11Dan Wang12An-Yi Chang13Lu Yin14Lynn M. Russell15Weiwei Gao16Ronnie H. Fang17Liangfang Zhang18Joseph Wang19Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California San DiegoAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California San DiegoAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California San DiegoAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California San DiegoAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California San DiegoAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California San DiegoScripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San DiegoProgram in Materials Science and Engineering, University of California San DiegoAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California San DiegoAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California San DiegoAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California San DiegoAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California San DiegoAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California San DiegoAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California San DiegoAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California San DiegoScripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San DiegoAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California San DiegoAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California San DiegoAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California San DiegoAiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California San DiegoAbstract Amidst the rising prevalence of respiratory diseases, the importance of effective lung treatment modalities is more critical than ever. However, current drug delivery systems face significant limitations that impede their efficacy and therapeutic outcome. Biohybrid microrobots have shown considerable promise for active in vivo drug delivery, especially for pulmonary applications via intratracheal routes. However, the invasive nature of intratracheal administration poses barriers to its clinical translation. Herein, we report on an efficient non-invasive inhalation-based method of delivering microrobots to the lungs. A nebulizer is employed to encapsulate picoeukaryote algae microrobots within small aerosol particles, enabling them to reach the lower respiratory tract. Post nebulization, the microrobots retain their motility (~55 μm s-1) to help achieve a homogeneous lung distribution and long-term retention exceeding five days in the lungs. Therapeutic efficacy is demonstrated in a mouse model of acute methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia using this pulmonary inhalation approach to deliver microrobots functionalized with platelet membrane-coated polymeric nanoparticles loaded with vancomycin. These promising findings underscore the benefits of inhalable biohybrid microrobots in a setting that does not require anesthesia, highlighting the substantial translational potential of this delivery system for routine clinical applications.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56032-4 |
| spellingShingle | Zhengxing Li Zhongyuan Guo Fangyu Zhang Lei Sun Hao Luan Zheng Fang Jeramy L. Dedrick Yichen Zhang Christine Tang Audrey Zhu Yiyan Yu Shichao Ding Dan Wang An-Yi Chang Lu Yin Lynn M. Russell Weiwei Gao Ronnie H. Fang Liangfang Zhang Joseph Wang Inhalable biohybrid microrobots: a non-invasive approach for lung treatment Nature Communications |
| title | Inhalable biohybrid microrobots: a non-invasive approach for lung treatment |
| title_full | Inhalable biohybrid microrobots: a non-invasive approach for lung treatment |
| title_fullStr | Inhalable biohybrid microrobots: a non-invasive approach for lung treatment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Inhalable biohybrid microrobots: a non-invasive approach for lung treatment |
| title_short | Inhalable biohybrid microrobots: a non-invasive approach for lung treatment |
| title_sort | inhalable biohybrid microrobots a non invasive approach for lung treatment |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56032-4 |
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