Urea powered nanorobots shrink bladder tumors by 90% after single dose

Tiny urea powered nanorobots have demonstrated remarkable potential in shrinking bladder tumors in mice by 90% after just a single dose Bladder cancer, a leading global health concern and the fourth most common tumor in men could see a significant shift in treatment efficiency thanks to this new innovative technique.

The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and CIC biomaGUNE led the development of tiny nanomachines in collaboration with the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) and the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). "With a single dose, we observed a 90% decrease in tumor volume.

This is significantly more efficient given that patients with this type of tumor typically have 6 to 14 hospital appointments with current treatments," said Samuel Sánchez, ICREA research professor at IBEC and leader of the study, in an official release. "Such a treatment approach would enhance efficiency, reducing the length of hospitalization and treatment costs," Sánchez added.

Key components of this tiny nanorobot These medical nanomachines are made of a porous silica sphere and have surfaces with specialized components tailored for precise functionality. Constructed from a porous silica based sphere, these medical nanomachines boast surfaces equipped with specific components designed for precise functions.

One of these components is the enzyme urease, a protein that interacts with urea found in urine. This protein aids in the movement of the nanoparticles inside the body. Another essential component is radioactive iodine, a form of radioisotope utilized in targeted tumor treatment. Bioimaging of the nanorobot inside the body While the use of nanorobots in medical treatments presents hurdles for bioimaging approaches, this latest work successfully overcomes this issue.

The researchers demonstrated nanoparticle movement inside the bladder and their targeted accumulation in the tumor region. Several approaches were used, including medical positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of mice and microscopic imaging of tissues after research. "The innovative optical system that we have developed enabled us to eliminate the light reflected by the tumor itself, allowing us to identify and locate nanoparticles throughout the organ without prior labeling, at an unprecedented resolution.

We observed that the nanorobots not only reached the tumor but also entered it, thereby enhancing the action of the radiopharmaceutical," said Julien Colombelli, leader of the Advanced Digital Microscopy platform at IRB Barcelona, in the As the research progresses, the team now sets its sights on investigating whether tumors recur post treatment.

This novel approach could usher in a new era in cancer treatment, offering hope for enhanced efficiency, reduced hospitalization, and improved outcomes for patients battling bladder cancer. The results were reported in the journal.