Nanozyme-Based Robotics Approach for Targeting Fungal Infection

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Penn collection
School of Dental Medicine::Departmental Papers (Dental)
Degree type
Discipline
Dentistry
Subject
Candida albicans; assemblies; biofilms; iron oxide; microrobots; mucosal
Funder
Grant number
Copyright date
2023
Distributor
Related resources
Author
Min Jun Oh; Seokyoung Yoon; Alaa Babeer; Yuan Liu; Zhi Ren; Zhenting Xiang; Yilan Miao; David P Cormode; Chider Chen; Edward Steager; Hyun Koo
Contributor
Abstract

Fungal pathogens have been designated by the World Health Organization as microbial threats of the highest priority for global health. It remains a major challenge to improve antifungal efficacy at the site of infection while avoiding off-target effects, fungal spreading, and drug tolerance. Here, a nanozyme-based microrobotic platform is developed that directs localized catalysis to the infection site with microscale precision to achieve targeted and rapid fungal killing. Using electromagnetic field frequency modulation and fine-scale spatiotemporal control, structured iron oxide nanozyme assemblies are formed that display tunable dynamic shape transformation and catalysis activation. The catalytic activity varies depending on the motion, velocity, and shape providing controllable reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Unexpectedly, nanozyme assemblies bind avidly to fungal (Candida albicans) surfaces to enable concentrated accumulation and targeted ROS-mediated killing in situ. By exploiting these tunable properties and selective binding to fungi, localized antifungal activity is achieved using in vivo-like cell spheroid and animal tissue infection models. Structured nanozyme assemblies are directed to Candida-infected sites using programmable algorithms to perform precisely guided spatial targeting and on-site catalysis resulting in fungal eradication within 10 min. This nanozyme-based microrobotics approach provides a uniquely effective and targeted therapeutic modality for pathogen elimination at the infection site.

Advisor
Date Range for Data Collection (Start Date)
Date Range for Data Collection (End Date)
Digital Object Identifier
Series name and number
Publication date
2023-07-08
Journal title
Nanozymes
Volume number
Issue number
Publisher
The Authors
Journal Issue
Comments
Recommended citation
Collection