Inhalable biomimetic nanomotor for pulmonary thrombus therapy

The complications of pulmonary thrombosis caused by the coronavirus pneumonia have created an unprecedented clinical need for efficient targeted therapy of pulmonary thrombosis. Here, we designed an inhalable engineered platelet nanomotor (MHLP) that could mimic platelet function to cross the pulmonary mucosal barrier and target pulmonary thrombus. The MHLP could respond to the thrombotic microenvironment by using reactive oxygen species as the fuel to produce oxygen and nitric oxide for promoting the release of the loaded anticoagulant drug hirudin. These gases can also regulate the thrombo-inflammatory microenvironment, promote the polarization of macrophages from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory phenotype, and downregulate the expression level of inflammatory factors. Through the two-pronged strategy of anticoagulation and regulation of the inflammatory microenvironment, MHLP demonstrates the effect of safely dissolving pulmonary thrombus and preventing recurrence.