Self-Fueled Janus Nanomotors as Active Drug Carriers for Propulsion Behavior-Reinforced Permeability and Accumulation at the Tumor Site

Abstract

Nanomedicine has emerged as a promising candidate for effective and safe cancer treatment surpassing intrinsic drawbacks of conventional cancer therapies. However, limited targeting capability and constrained permeability at malignant tissues have hindered their progress toward clinical translation. Here, we report a nanomotor-based active drug-delivering platform whose self-propulsion behavior reinforces its permeability and accumulation at the tumor site. Cargo-loaded hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles (HMSNPs) coated with polydopamine serve as nanomotors. The driving force comes from the near-infrared (NIR) light-triggered decomposition of preloaded fuel. The self-propulsion-promoted transverse motion perpendicular to the flow field can improve the nanomotors’ penetration across the “blood vessels” and enhance their accumulation in the tumor region in vivo. The current design provides a solution to enhancing tumor-targeted drug delivery efficacy surmounting conventional passive nanocarriers widely used in nanomedicine, which would greatly advance self-propelled chemical nanomotors toward cancer theranostic applications.