Robotic Actuation‐Mediated Quantitative Mechanogenetics for Noninvasive and On‐Demand Cancer Therapy

Abstract

Abstract Cell mechanotransduction signals are important targets for physical therapy. However, current physiotherapy heavily relies on ultrasound, which is generated by high‐power equipment or amplified by auxiliary drugs, potentially causing undesired side effects. To address current limitations, a robotic actuation‐mediated therapy is developed that utilizes gentle mechanical loads to activate mechanosensitive ion channels. The resulting calcium influx precisely regulated the expression of recombinant tumor suppressor protein and death‐associated protein kinase, leading to programmed apoptosis of cancer cell line through caspase‐dependent pathway. In stark contrast to traditional gene therapy, the complete elimination of early‐ and middle‐stage tumors (volume ≤ 100 mm3) and significant growth inhibition of late‐stage tumor (500 mm3) are realized in tumor‐bearing mice by transfecting mechanogenetic circuits and treating daily with quantitative robotic actuation in a form of 5 min treatment over the course of 14 days. Thus, this massage‐derived therapy represents a quantitative strategy for cancer treatment.

Keywords

• biomedical engineering
• chemical biology
• mechanogenetics
• precise treatment
• tumor therapy