Internal medicine

Pathology

Nanotechnology

Urination

Interstitial cystitis

Operations research

Urinary system

Urology

Engineering

Materials science

Alternative medicine

Overactive bladder

Urinary bladder

Drug delivery

Penetration (warfare)

Medicine

ACS Nano

Intravesical therapeutic delivery has been extensively investigated for various bladder diseases such as bladder cancer, overactive bladder, urinary incontinence, and interstitial cystitis. However, conventional drug carriers have a low therapeutic delivery efficiency because of the passive diffusion of drug molecules in a bladder and the rapid clearance by periodic urination. Here, we report biocompatible and bioavailable enzyme-powered polymer nanomotors which can deeply penetrate into a mucosa layer of the bladder wall and remain for a long-term period in the bladder. The successful fabrication of nanomotors was confirmed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray mapping, zeta-potential analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and urease activity and nanomotor trajectory analyses. After injection into the bladder, urease-immobilized nanomotors became active, moving around in the bladder by converting urea into carbon dioxide and ammonia. The nanomotors resulted in the facilitated penetration to the mucosa layer of the bladder wall and the prolonged retention in the bladder even after repeated urination. The enhanced penetration and retention of the nanomotors as a drug delivery carrier in the bladder would be successfully harnessed for treating a variety of bladder diseases.

Urease-Powered Polydopamine Nanomotors for Intravesical Therapy of Bladder Diseases