Magnetic soft microrobots for erectile dysfunction therapy!

Erectile dysfunction (ED), a prevalent form of sexual dysfunction, significantly affects fertility and quality of life. Mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapies show promise for ED treatment, yet challenges such as low tissue retention and poor MSC survival in corpus cavernosum tissue limit their efficacy. In this study, we introduce a shape-adaptive and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging microrobot designed to overcome the challenges of vascularization and optimize MSC delivery. The microrobot enhances MSC retention and survival in corpus cavernosum tissue. In both rat and beagle models of ED, treatment with MSC-laden microrobots (MSC-Rob) promoted restored erectile function. Our results indicate that ED could be reversed via this approach, providing a promising outlook for its feasibility in human applications.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a major threat to male fertility and quality of life, and mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are a promising therapeutic option. However, therapeutic outcomes are compromised by low MSC retention and survival rates in corpus cavernosum tissue. Here, we developed an innovative magnetic soft microrobot comprising an ultrasoft hydrogel microsphere embedded with a magnetic nanoparticle chain for MSC delivery. This design also features phenylboronic acid groups for scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). With a Young’s modulus of less than 1 kPa, the ultrasoft microrobot adapts its shape within narrow blood vessels, ensuring a uniform distribution of MSCs within the corpus cavernosum. Our findings showed that compared with traditional MSC injections, the MSC delivery microrobot (MSC-Rob) significantly enhanced MSC retention and survival. In both rat and beagle ED models, MSC-Rob treatment accelerated the repair of corpus cavernosum tissue and restored erectile function. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) revealed that MSC-Rob treatment facilitates nerve and blood vessel regeneration in the corpus cavernosum by increasing the presence of regenerative macrophages. Overall, our MSC-Rob not only advances the clinical application of MSCs for ED therapy but also broadens the scope of microrobots for other cell therapies.