Ultrasound controlled mechanophore activation in hydrogels for cancer therapy

Journal Article · 18 January 2022 · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2109791119 · OSTI ID:1841057

Kim, Gun  ^[1]; Wu, Qiong  ^[2]; Chu, James L.  ^[3]; Smith, Emily J.  ^[3]; Oelze, Michael L.  ^[4]; Moore, Jeffrey S.  ^[5]; Li, King C.  ^[6]

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1. Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, IL 61820, Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
2. Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
3. Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, IL 61820
4. Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, IL 61820, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
5. Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, IL 61820, Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
6. Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, IL 61820, Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801

Significance Biomedical application of mechanophores is the next frontier in polymer mechanochemistry. We report the concept, mechanochemical dynamic therapy (MDT), that utilizes remote, ultrasound-triggered mechanophore activation to enable anticancer activities. We selected an azo-based mechanophore to generate reactive free radicals (FRs) under the control of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), which subsequently produced ROS. We investigated two sets of in vitro mouse cancer models: 1) melanoma (B16F10) and 2) breast cancer (E0771). Inhibition of growth and decreases in viabilities of both B16F10 and E0771 were observed in correlation to the release of ROS by mechanophore activation. By circumventing the known issues in photodynamic therapy and sonodynamic therapy, we anticipate MDT to be a powerful anticancer tool complementary to other existing cancer treatments.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: FG02-07ER46471
• OSTI ID: 1841057
• Journal Information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Journal Name: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 119; ISSN 0027-8424
• Publisher: Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English