Researchers at Osaka University found that worms can be wrapped in hydrogel sheaths to transport valuable goods such as anti-cancer drugs.
Researchers at Osaka University found that microscopic, free-living worms called nematode can be coated with "sheaps" made of hydrogels, which can then be further modified to provide functional cargo.
nematodes are tiny worms that can live freely, usually in other habitats in the soil or environment. However, under certain conditions, nematodes are able to enter the human body. An unusual love for cancer cells was found in Anisakis simplex, a worm that lives in the marine environment that can enter the human body if people eat it.
Anisakis simplex Nude and Anisakis simplex Covered with hydrogel sheaths containing fluorescent dyes. Image: Sakai Shinji
"According to reports, Anisakis simplex can sense cancer, possibly by detecting cancer "odor" and attaching to cancer tissue, which leads us to question whether it can be used to provide anti-cancer treatment directly to cancer cells in the human body," said Wildan Mubarok, first author of the study.
To test this possibility, the researchers first designed a method to encapsulate nematodes with hydrogel sheaths by immersing nematodes in a series of treatments containing chemicals that combine to form a gel-like covering on their surface. Within about 20 minutes, the program customized a suit about 0.01 mm thick for the worm.
, senior author of the study, said: "The results are very clear. The sheath does not interfere with the survival of the worms in any way and is flexible enough to maintain the worm's movement and the natural ability to find attractive odors and chemical signals."
Then, the researchers began filling the sheath with functional molecules, and found that doing so could protect the worm from the harmful effects of hydrogen peroxide and UV radiation. In addition, the sheath can be filled with anticancer drugs that nematodes can carry and distribute to kill cancer cells in vitro. This is possible because their hydrogel armor protects them from damage, but does not hinder them.
Image: Sakai Shinji
"Our results suggest that in the future nematodes may be used to transport functional cargo to a range of specific targets," said Mubaroque.
This worm-based delivery method can not only provide anti-cancer drugs to patients’ tumor cells, but also have potential uses in other disciplines, such as sending useful bacteria to plant roots. This is due to the versatility of the hydrogel sheath.
Reference: Wildan Mubarok, Masaki Nakahata, Masaru Kojima, Shinji Sakai Nematode surface functionalization of in situ hydrogel sheaths. DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2022.100328
