iPSC-Derived Biological Microrobots for Targeted Cancer Therapy: A Conceptual and Translational Framework
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61978/jkii.v2i1.1518Keywords:
Induced pluripotent stem cells, biological microrobots, cancer therapy, targeted therapyAbstract
Targeted delivery remains a major challenge in cancer therapy, particularly in solid tumors and metastatic disease, where chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery are limited by systemic toxicity and poor tumor specificity. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology has emerged as a promising platform for generating engineered immune effector cells due to its unlimited expansion capacity and susceptibility to precise genetic modification. iPSC-derived engineered cells can be conceptually framed as biological microrobots — a functional framework rather than a literal mechanical description — based on their capacity for tumor-directed migration, environmental sensing, programmable anti-tumor activity, and controllable therapeutic responses. This study evaluates iPSC-derived engineered cells as biological microrobots for targeted cancer therapy, integrating iPSC engineering, gene editing, and biorobotics principles within a unified translational framework. A systematic literature review following PRISMA 2020 guidelines was conducted using Scopus and PubMed with predefined keywords, independent dual-reviewer screening, and standardized quality appraisal. Of 329 identified records, 30 met eligibility criteria and were included in the qualitative synthesis. Key iPSC-derived microrobot archetypes identified include CAR-engineered iNK cells with IL-15/IL-21 cytokine armoring, iNPC carriers for oncolytic virus delivery, and NKG2D-CAR-functionalized iMSCs with enhanced tumor-homing ability. The evidence suggests promising translational potential for iPSC-derived biological microrobot systems; however, current data remain predominantly preclinical, and challenges related to safety, scalability, regulatory translation, and long-term in vivo behavior must still be addressed.
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