Smart Thrombus: Self-Localizing UCST-Type Microcage

Embolization is often used to block blood supply for controlling the growth of fibroids and malignant tumors, but limited by embolic agents lacking spontaneous targeting and post-treatment removal. So we first adopted nonionic poly(acrylamide-co-acrylonitrile) with an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) to build up self-localizing microcages by inverse emulsification. The results showed that these UCST-type microcages behaved with the appropriate phase-transition thresh-old value around 40 degrees C, and spontaneously underwent an expansion-fusion-fission cycle under the stimulus of mild temperature hyperthermia. Given the simultaneous local release of cargoes, this simple but smart microcage is expected to act as a multifunctional embolic agent for tumorous starving therapy, tumor chemotherapy, and imaging.

Automated summary

By using nonionic poly(acrylamide-co-acrylonitrile) with an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) and inverse emulsification, self-localizing microcages were created. These microcages exhibited phase transition at approximately 40 degrees C and underwent expansion-fusion-fission cycles under mild temperature hyperthermia. With the ability for simultaneous release of drugs, these smart microcages can be utilized for tumor starving therapy, tumor chemotherapy, and imaging.