Urease-powered nanobots have shown remarkable potential in the treatment of bladder cancer, achieving a substantial reduction in tumor size.
Bladder Cancer — Current Challenges
Bladder cancer is a common and challenging disease, affecting many people worldwide. The current standard treatments involve the intravesical administration of drugs like BCG and mitomycin C after tumor removal. But these treatments often come with problems. They can cause unwanted side effects and have limited effectiveness, as evidenced by high recurrence and progression rates. The drugs tend to settle at the bottom of the bladder and don’t spread evenly, and they also have trouble sticking to the tumor and staying in the bladder long enough to do their job.
Research Aim & Objectives
The goal of this research was to see if urease-powered nanobots could be an effective treatment for bladder cancer. A research team set out to develop and test these nanobots. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-023-01577-y
Research Method — Nanobot Fabrication, Characterization, and In Vivo Studies
The nanobots were made using a special process. They were based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles and were modified with urease and other molecules. They were also labeled with radioactive markers for tracking. The researchers analyzed the nanobots’ size, charge, and other properties. In vivo experiments were done using a mouse model of bladder cancer. The accumulation of the nanobots in the tumor was studied using imaging techniques, and their ability to penetrate the tumor was also examined.
Results — Nanobot Accumulation, Tumor Penetration, and Therapeutic Efficacy
In the in vivo studies, the nanobots showed enhanced accumulation at the tumor site. The positron emission tomography scans revealed an eightfold increase in radioactivity in the tumor mass compared to controls, indicating a significant concentration of the nanobots where they were needed most.
Not only did the nanobots accumulate effectively, but they also demonstrated excellent tumor penetration. Label-free optical contrast based on polarization-dependent scattered light-sheet microscopy of cleared bladders confirmed that the nanobots were able to reach deep into the tumor.
When it came to the therapeutic effect, the results were equally impressive. Treating tumor-bearing mice with radio-iodinated nanobots led to a remarkable reduction in tumor size. In fact, the tumors shrank by about 90%, showing the powerful potential of these nanobots in combating bladder cancer.
Nanobots — A Promising Treatment for Bladder Cancer
This study shows that urease-powered nanobots have the potential to be an effective treatment for bladder cancer. The successful accumulation and significant reduction in tumor size in the mouse model suggest that these nanobots could offer a new and better option for patients. More research is needed to see if they can be used in humans, but this is a very exciting development in the fight against bladder cancer.
Reference:
Simó, Cristina, et al. “Urease-powered nanobots for radionuclide bladder cancer therapy.” Nature Nanotechnology 19.4 (2024): 554-564.