title: RBC micromotors carrying multiple cargos towards potential theranostic applications.
abstract: Red blood cell (RBC)-based micromotors containing both therapeutic and diagnostic modalities are described as a means for potential theranostic applications. In this natural RBC-based multicargo-loaded micromotor system, quantum dots (QDs), anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX), and magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), were co-encapsulated into RBC micromotors. The fluorescent emission of both QDs and DOX provides direct visualization of their loading inside the RBC motors at two distinct wavelengths. The presence of MNPs within the RBCs allows for efficient magnetic guidance under ultrasound propulsion along with providing the potential for magnetic resonance imaging. The simultaneous encapsulation of the imaging nanoparticles and therapeutic payloads within the same RBC micromotor has a minimal effect upon its propulsion behavior. The ability of the RBC micromotors to transport imaging and therapeutic agents at high speed and spatial precision through a complex microchannel network is also demonstrated. Such ability to load and transport diagnostic imaging agents and therapeutic drugs within a single cell-based motor, in addition to a lower toxicity observed once the drug is encapsulated within the multicargo RBC motor, opens the door to the development of theranostic micromotors that may simultaneously treat and monitor diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA. josephwang@ucsd.edu zhang@ucsd.edu.
authors.forename: Zhiguang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Berta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Esteban-Fernández de Ávila
authors.forename: Aída
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.forename: Caleb
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Christianson
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Soracha Kun
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Thamphiwatana
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Escarpa
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Liangfang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells; D006801:Humans; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D045663:Quantum Dots; D000068936:Theranostic Nanomedicine / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014465:Ultrasonics
chemical_list: D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D004317:Doxorubicin