Wu Tao, Li Tenghui, Zhang Chengzhi, Tian Yu, Li Hao, He Yuxin, Yan Xu, Gong Tianxing, Zhao Junhua, Wang Zhenning
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang, China.
College of Medicine and Biological Information Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China.
Nat Commun. 2025 Aug 12;16(1):7464. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-62880-x.
Preserving anal function in advanced-stage colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment remains a significant challenge. Here we introduce a hollow-tube-like hydrospongel (HTHSG) as an advanced neoadjuvant therapy. Constructed from cellulose nanofibers crosslinked with FeO@PDA (polydopamine) nanoparticles, the HTHSG combines quick swelling (~10 seconds) with high fracture strength (>250 kPa) for enhanced mechanical stability. The hydrospongel enables precise, localized delivery of the chemotherapeutic agent 5-FU directly to the tumor site. Beyond conventional chemotherapy, HTHSG employs electromagnetic induction to achieve targeted thermal ablation and chemodynamic therapy, minimizing collateral damage to healthy tissues. Comparative studies in orthotopic, cell-derived, and patient-derived xenograft models demonstrate the superior tumor-reduction efficacy of HTHSG over traditional neoadjuvant therapies. Feasibility studies in a beagle model and human-sized dummy model further validate the HTHSG's potential for clinical application, showing preserved anal function and biocompatibility. These findings establish HTHSG as a promising pre-surgical treatment option for advanced-stage CRC, offering improved therapeutic outcomes and quality of life for patients.
在晚期结直肠癌（CRC）治疗中保留肛门功能仍然是一项重大挑战。在此，我们引入一种空心管状水凝胶海绵（HTHSG）作为一种先进的新辅助疗法。HTHSG由与FeO@聚多巴胺（PDA）纳米颗粒交联的纤维素纳米纤维构建而成，它兼具快速膨胀（约10秒）和高断裂强度（>250kPa），以增强机械稳定性。这种水凝胶海绵能够将化疗药物5-氟尿嘧啶精确、局部地直接递送至肿瘤部位。除了传统化疗外，HTHSG利用电磁感应实现靶向热消融和化学动力疗法，将对健康组织的附带损害降至最低。在原位、细胞衍生和患者衍生的异种移植模型中的比较研究表明，HTHSG在肿瘤缩小疗效方面优于传统新辅助疗法。在比格犬模型和人体大小的模拟模型中的可行性研究进一步验证了HTHSG的临床应用潜力，显示出其对肛门功能的保留和生物相容性。这些发现确立了HTHSG作为晚期CRC一种有前景的术前治疗选择，为患者提供了更好的治疗效果和生活质量。
