A Universal Platform for High-Efficiency Engineering Living Cells: Integration of Cell Capture, Intracellular Delivery of Biomolecules, and Cell Harvesting Functions

A universal platform for the efficient intracellular delivery of biomacromolecules with minimal trauma to the cells is highly desirable for biological research and clinical applications. Moreover, such a platform should include the ability to harvest the engineered cells, for particular in vitro or ex vivo conditions. Herein, a broadly applicable platform is presented with integrated multifunctions based on silicon nanowire arrays (SiNWAs) modified with a sugar-responsive polymer containing phenylboronic acid (PBA) groups. Due to the synergistic effects of the specific recognition of PBA groups by sialic acid and nanoenhancement by the SiNWAs, this system shows a high capture capacity for both surface adherent and suspension cells overexpressing sialic acid on the membrane. Under appropriate near-infrared irradiation, the photothermal properties of SiNWAs endow this system with high efficiency to deliver biomacromolecules into the captured cells by a membrane disruption mechanism. The cells thus engineered can be harvested simply by treatment with a nontoxic sugar solution, thereby maintaining good viability for subsequent applications. This method appears to have strong potential for the intracellular delivery of diverse biomacromolecules into both surface adherent and suspension cells, including hard-to-transfect suspension T cells, and may open up new pathways for engineering living cells.