The Nanoimpeller -- Controlled Drug Release in Cancer Cells

About a light-powered nanomachine that operates inside a living cell, A development that has strong implications for cancer treatment.

clipped from www.medgadget.com Light Activated Drug Nanotransporters Using clever technology and special chemicals, UCLA scientists were able to create unique transport intracellular nanoparticles, motorized by 'nanoimpellers', that can be manually activated to release their cargo with a switch of a light, potentially allowing for precise targeting of drugs directly to the tumor. clipped from www.cnsi.ucla.edu To achieve this, the UCLA researchers used mesoporous silica nanoparticles and coated the interiors of the pores with azobenzene, a chemical that can oscillate between two different conformations upon light exposure. The pores of the particles can be loaded with cargo molecules, such as dyes or anticancer drugs. In response to light exposure, a wagging motion occurs, causing the cargo molecules to escape from the pores and attack the cell. Confocal microscopic images showed that the impeller operation can be regulated precisely by the intensity of the light, the excitation time and the specific wavelength.

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