Light-Directed Self-Powered Metal-Organic Framework Based Nanorobots for Deep Tumor Penetration

Effective intratumoral distribution of anticancer agents with good tumor penetration is of great practical importance for oncotherapy. How to break the limitation of traditional passive drug delivery relying on blood circulatory system into solid tumors remains a challenge. Herein, a light-directed self-powered nanorobot based on zirconium-based porphyrin metal-organic framework (MOF) is reported for smart delivery of chemodrug and photosensitizer for deep tumor penetration. The MOF-based carrier transporting the therapeutics is able to responsively generate hydrogen sulfide as propulsion gas and uniquely exhibits negative phototaxis in acidic tumor microenvironment. Under red light irradiation, the nanorobots are accordingly propelled from the tumor surface toward deep tumor far away from the exterior light source in a specific deep-into-tumor direction, greatly enhancing tumor penetration. Along with tumor-responsive release and activation of the delivered therapeutics inside tumor tissues, photo-chemotherapy with significantly improved efficacy is achieved.