Smart micro/nanorobots for drug delivery in the brain

IF 33.6 1区材料科学 Q1 MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Progress in Materials Science Pub Date : 2025-07-06 DOI:10.1016/j.pmatsci.2025.101533

Di Shi , Xiang Wang , Yulin Deng , Huaijuan Zhou , Yilong Wang , Paul K. Chu , Jinhua Li

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Pharmacotherapy is the core approach for treating various brain diseases. However, the intricate anatomical structure and the blood–brain barrier (BBB) of the brain present challenges for intracerebral drug delivery and therapeutic efficacy. Although systemic administration and surgical interventions can alleviate symptoms, they are limited by low therapeutic effects and potential adverse side effects. Moreover, due to their complex pathogenesis, insidious development, and deep-seated lesions, brain diseases are difficult to diagnose accurately. To address these challenges, there is an urgent need to develop intelligent nanocarriers that can efficiently load drugs and penetrate the BBB for precise therapy of brain diseases. In this connection, micro/nanorobots (MNRs) are multifunctional drug carriers at the micro-nano scale, which possess exceptional penetration and targeting capabilities. Employing externally powered propulsion or chemical self-propulsion, MNRs can navigate in the brain and cross the BBB. This review comprehensively summarizes the recent advances and future outlook of smart MNR drug delivery systems for brain disease treatment. It covers broad topics from nanocarriers to active smart MNRs. Furthermore, it elucidates the therapeutic mechanisms of these smart MNR drug delivery systems in brain diseases based on pathogenesis and pathology. Our aim is to provide a reference for designing and developing novel smart MNRs for drug delivery in the brain, paving the way for their clinical applications in treating brain diseases.

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用于大脑药物输送的智能微/纳米机器人

药物治疗是治疗各种脑部疾病的核心方法。然而，大脑复杂的解剖结构和血脑屏障（BBB）对脑内药物传递和治疗效果提出了挑战。虽然全身给药和手术干预可以缓解症状，但由于治疗效果低和潜在的不良副作用，它们受到限制。此外，由于其发病机制复杂、发展隐匿、病灶深，脑部疾病难以准确诊断。为了解决这些挑战，迫切需要开发能够有效装载药物并穿透血脑屏障的智能纳米载体，以精确治疗脑部疾病。在这方面，微/纳米机器人（MNRs）是微纳米尺度上的多功能药物载体，具有卓越的渗透和靶向能力。利用外部动力推进或化学自我推进，磁磁共振可以在大脑中导航并穿过血脑屏障。本文综述了脑疾病治疗中智能MNR给药系统的最新进展及未来展望。它涵盖了从纳米载体到主动智能磁阻的广泛主题。此外，从发病机制和病理角度阐明了这些智能MNR给药系统在脑部疾病中的治疗机制。我们的目的是为设计和开发新型脑内药物传递智能核磁共振提供参考，为其在脑疾病治疗中的临床应用铺平道路。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Progress in Materials Science 工程技术-材料科学：综合

CiteScore

59.60

自引率

0.80%

发文量

101

审稿时长

11.4 months

期刊介绍： Progress in Materials Science is a journal that publishes authoritative and critical reviews of recent advances in the science of materials. The focus of the journal is on the fundamental aspects of materials science, particularly those concerning microstructure and nanostructure and their relationship to properties. Emphasis is also placed on the thermodynamics, kinetics, mechanisms, and modeling of processes within materials, as well as the understanding of material properties in engineering and other applications. The journal welcomes reviews from authors who are active leaders in the field of materials science and have a strong scientific track record. Materials of interest include metallic, ceramic, polymeric, biological, medical, and composite materials in all forms. Manuscripts submitted to Progress in Materials Science are generally longer than those found in other research journals. While the focus is on invited reviews, interested authors may submit a proposal for consideration. Non-invited manuscripts are required to be preceded by the submission of a proposal. Authors publishing in Progress in Materials Science have the option to publish their research via subscription or open access. Open access publication requires the author or research funder to meet a publication fee (APC). Abstracting and indexing services for Progress in Materials Science include Current Contents, Science Citation Index Expanded, Materials Science Citation Index, Chemical Abstracts, Engineering Index, INSPEC, and Scopus.