The delivery of light therapy to solid tumours, particularly pancreatic tumours, is complicated by their dynamic volumetric changes and by the dense fibrous environment that forms around the tissues. Now, writing in Advanced Materials, Tae-Hyuk Kwon, Keon Jae Lee and collaborators report the development of an implantable, shape-morphing 3D micro-light-emitting diode (micro-LED) device that enables continuous and effective light irradiation of pancreatic tumours.
Pancreatic cancer is a highly lethal disease with a low survival rate, primarily due to late diagnosis and to the formation of a dense fibrous environment around cancer cells that reduces chemotherapy effectiveness because of poor drug penetration into the tumour. Hence, there is a need for treatments that can reduce the volume of fibrotic tissue, enhance drug absorption and induce the death of tumoural cells. Photodynamic therapy can reduce the growth of fibrotic tissue and promote tumour death by generating intracellular oxidative stress through the light activation of photosensitizers accumulated in the tumour tissues. However, localized light delivery to the pancreas is challenging. Using implantable devices to deliver a prolonged, low-intensity optical treatment is a potential solution, but attaching them to growing 3D tumour tissues is challenging.
The researchers developed an implantable shape-morphing 3D micro-LED device that can conform to the curved surfaces of tumour tissues, overcoming issues of mechanical mismatch and delamination and delivering precise, continuous therapy. The device is designed with a windmill shape with 8 wings to conform to the 3D curved surfaces of the tumour, featuring 70 micro-LEDs, serpentine electrodes and a polyurethane-based photocurable polymer on a PET substrate. It can be positioned directly on the tumour without the need for adhesives and operates wirelessly. The continuous low-dose light treatment stimulates the generation of reactive oxygen species from the photosensitizers accumulated within the tumour, resulting in a reduction of the fibrotic tissue and in cell death. Thanks to its shape-morphing wings, the device can grasp the spherical tumour protrusions like a gripper and deform in response to their volumetric changes, ensuring continuous light delivery.
In vivo experiments on freely moving mouse models demonstrated the efficacy of the device in reducing the fibrotic area around the tumour and in substantially decreasing tumour volume, without adverse effects on healthy tissues. Implications for future research include the potential application of similar devices in other organs, such as the brain and intestines, and the eventual testing in human patients.
The delivery of light therapy to solid tumours, particularly pancreatic tumours, is complicated by their dynamic volumetric changes and by the dense fibrous environment that forms around the tissues. Now, writing in Advanced Materials, Tae-Hyuk Kwon, Keon Jae Lee and collaborators report the development of an implantable, shape-morphing 3D micro-light-emitting diode (micro-LED) device that enables continuous and effective light irradiation of pancreatic tumours.
Pancreatic cancer is a highly lethal disease with a low survival rate, primarily due to late diagnosis and to the formation of a dense fibrous environment around cancer cells that reduces chemotherapy effectiveness because of poor drug penetration into the tumour. Hence, there is a need for treatments that can reduce the volume of fibrotic tissue, enhance drug absorption and induce the death of tumoural cells. Photodynamic therapy can reduce the growth of fibrotic tissue and promote tumour death by generating intracellular oxidative stress through the light activation of photosensitizers accumulated in the tumour tissues. However, localized light delivery to the pancreas is challenging. Using implantable devices to deliver a prolonged, low-intensity optical treatment is a potential solution, but attaching them to growing 3D tumour tissues is challenging.
The researchers developed an implantable shape-morphing 3D micro-LED device that can conform to the curved surfaces of tumour tissues, overcoming issues of mechanical mismatch and delamination and delivering precise, continuous therapy. The device is designed with a windmill shape with 8 wings to conform to the 3D curved surfaces of the tumour, featuring 70 micro-LEDs, serpentine electrodes and a polyurethane-based photocurable polymer on a PET substrate. It can be positioned directly on the tumour without the need for adhesives and operates wirelessly. The continuous low-dose light treatment stimulates the generation of reactive oxygen species from the photosensitizers accumulated within the tumour, resulting in a reduction of the fibrotic tissue and in cell death. Thanks to its shape-morphing wings, the device can grasp the spherical tumour protrusions like a gripper and deform in response to their volumetric changes, ensuring continuous light delivery.
In vivo experiments on freely moving mouse models demonstrated the efficacy of the device in reducing the fibrotic area around the tumour and in substantially decreasing tumour volume, without adverse effects on healthy tissues. Implications for future research include the potential application of similar devices in other organs, such as the brain and intestines, and the eventual testing in human patients.