Natural Microgels Overcome Nanoparticle Retention Barriers for Hyperthermia and Tumor Regression

ABSTRACT Clinical translation of nanoparticle (NP) based hyperthermia has long been constrained by poor tumor retention and rapid systemic clearance, resulting in transient and subtherapeutic heating. Here, we present a biodegradable, bioinspired carrier system derived from sunflower pollen microgels (PMs) that overcomes these limitations through geometry‐guided retention and tumor‐microenvironment‐responsive degradation. The spiky exine architecture of PMs, mimicking the adhesive morphology of natural pollen, enables mechanical interlocking within tumor tissue, while cationic liposome coating facilitates electrostatic assembly of Fe 3 O 4 NPs. The resulting PM/Lipo/NP composites achieve stable, homogeneous heating at therapeutic temperatures (44.9°C ± 0.3°C) under alternating magnetic fields for up to 21 days far exceeding the performance of free Fe 3 O 4 NPs (39.6°C ± 0.4°C). In vivo, this prolonged retention drives near‐complete tumor regression with no detectable systemic toxicity, and the pollen matrix gradually degrades under tumor‐relevant oxidative conditions (H 2 O 2 , pH 6.5). This study presents a structure‐driven delivery concept, showing that bioinspired microgels can function as biodegradable, shape‐anchored platforms for sustained magnetic hyperthermia and effective local cancer therapy.

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Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Functional Materials
Published
2026-02-03
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202530453
Primary Topic
Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Natural Microgels Overcome Nanoparticle Retention Barriers for Hyperthermia and Tumor Regression

Yi Xu, Zeyan Zhuang, Chun‐Yen Wu, N. S. Cho et al.
Advanced Functional Materials
Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics
article

Natural Microgels Overcome Nanoparticle Retention Barriers for Hyperthermia and Tumor Regression

Yi Xu, Zeyan Zhuang, Chun‐Yen Wu, N. S. Cho, Young Hwan Choe, Jingyu Deng, Dongping Jiang, Yu‐Chien Lin, Yawen Song
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Clinical translation of nanoparticle (NP) based hyperthermia has long been constrained by poor tumor retention and rapid systemic clearance, resulting in transient and subtherapeutic heating. Here, we present a biodegradable, bioinspired carrier system derived from sunflower pollen microgels (PMs) that overcomes these limitations through geometry‐guided retention and tumor‐microenvironment‐responsive degradation. The spiky exine architecture of PMs, mimicking the adhesive morphology of natural pollen, enables mechanical interlocking within tumor tissue, while cationic liposome coating facilitates electrostatic assembly of Fe 3 O 4 NPs. The resulting PM/Lipo/NP composites achieve stable, homogeneous heating at therapeutic temperatures (44.9°C ± 0.3°C) under alternating magnetic fields for up to 21 days far exceeding the performance of free Fe 3 O 4 NPs (39.6°C ± 0.4°C). In vivo, this prolonged retention drives near‐complete tumor regression with no detectable systemic toxicity, and the pollen matrix gradually degrades under tumor‐relevant oxidative conditions (H 2 O 2 , pH 6.5). This study presents a structure‐driven delivery concept, showing that bioinspired microgels can function as biodegradable, shape‐anchored platforms for sustained magnetic hyperthermia and effective local cancer therapy.

Advanced Functional Materials
National Taipei University of Technology (TW), Nanyang Technological University (SG), Singapore-HUJ Alliance for Research and Enterprise (SG), Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SG)
National Research Foundation, Nanyang Technological University, Ministry of Education, India, Bộ Giáo dục và Ðào tạo, National Taiwan University, National Taipei University of Technology, National Science and Technology Council
No poverty
Openalex Percentile: Top 68%
Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics
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