Movable Hollow Nanoparticles as Reactive Oxygen Scavengers

Considerable research efforts have been directed toward the development of nanozymes that can scavenge excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) and protect cells against oxidative stress. However, most nanoscavengers lack the means for self-propulsion, rendering them unable to actively remove ROS from diverse locations in cells. We describe an orthogonal approach to guide movable hemin-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles for the removal of intracellular ROS. The movable nanoparticles are self-powered by harnessing the chemical free energy of catalytic reactions to achieve autonomous intracellular walking, thereby improving the efficiency of ROS removal. These hollow nanoparticles have exhibited average speeds up to 3.5-fold higher than solid nanoparticles. The ability of these movable hollow nanoparticles to scavenge ROS based on the universal nature of this strategy was verified both in vitro and in vivo. These findings can be used to guide the design of nanomedical materials, which could have therapeutic potential against other diseases.