Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Science Communicator Platform

Stay connected! Follow us on X network (Twitter):
Share this content! On (X network) By
Urease-Powered Black Tio2 Micromotors for Photothermal Therapy of Bladder Cancer Publisher Pubmed



Amiri Z1 ; Hasani A1 ; Abedini F2 ; Malek M3 ; Madaah Hosseini HR1, 4
Authors
Show Affiliations
Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, 1458889694, Iran
  2. 2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, 7916193145, Iran
  3. 3. Department of Radiology, Medical Imaging Center, Advanced Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Research Center (ADIR), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, 1416634793, Iran
  4. 4. Institute for Convergence Science and Technology (ICST), Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, 1458889694, Iran

Source: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces Published:2024


Abstract

Urease-powered nano/micromotors can move at physiological urea concentrations, making them useful for biomedical applications, such as treating bladder cancer. However, their movement in biological environments is still challenging. Herein, Janus micromotors based on black TiO2 with urease asymmetric catalytic coating were designed to take benefit of the optical properties of black TiO2 under near-infrared light and the movement capability in simulated bladder environments (urea). The black TiO2 microspheres were half-coated with a thin layer of Au, and l-Cysteine was utilized to attach the urease enzyme to the Au surface using its thiol group. Biocatalytic hydrolysis of urea through urease at biologically relevant concentrations provided the driving force for micromotors. A variety of parameters, such as urea fuel concentration, viscosity, and ionic character of the environment, were used to investigate how micromotors moved in different concentrations of urea in water, PBS, NaCl, and urine. The results indicate that micromotors are propelled through ionic self-diffusiophoresis caused by urea enzymatic catalysis. Due to their low toxicity and in vitro anticancer effect, micromotors are effective agents for photothermal therapy, which can help kill bladder cancer cells. These promising results suggest that biocompatible micromotors hold great potential for improving cancer treatment and facilitating diagnosis. © 2024 American Chemical Society.