DNA nanodevice-engineered macrophages as living sensors for dual-mode in vivo monitoring of tumor-associated macrophage polarization.

DNA nanodevice-engineered macrophages enable dual-mode in vivo monitoring of tumor-associated macrophage polarization with high precision across multiple cancer models.

• Why it matters: Understanding TAM polarization is crucial for cancer diagnosis and immunotherapy, yet current methods lack real-time, in vivo, multiscale detection capabilities, limiting clinical progress.
• What they did: Engineered macrophages with modular DNA origami nanodevices were developed to convert endogenous signals like Arg1 or iNOS mRNA into specific reporter outputs, allowing compartment-resolved detection of macrophage states in tumors.
• The result: This platform successfully detected tumors and evaluated immunotherapy in murine models, demonstrating its potential as a programmable, living diagnostic tool for immune-state monitoring and targeted therapy.