Magnetic-Driven Hydrogel Spiral PVA/Fe3O4 Micromotors for Targeted Photothermal Therapy

Abstract

Phototherapy has emerged as a promising technique for cancer treatment, offering high efficiency and minimal side effects. Nevertheless, conventional phototherapy agents suffer from low targetability and inefficient delivery. Here, a novel approach is proposed using helical hydrogel motors fabricated by combining polyvinyl alcohol, melamine, water, and Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles. These magnetic motors are capable of precise therapy on tumor cells driven by an external magnetic field. By converting light into heat upon near-infrared illumination, the motors elevate the temperature of the targeted region, resulting in a significant therapeutic effect, with over 60% eradication of HeLa cells achieve under 808 nm near- infrared light (1.5 W cm⁻²). These helical micromotors exhibit excellent movement performance and biocompatibility, facilitating their in vivo applications and contributing to the advancement of biomedicine.