PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

New technique targets specific areas of cancer cells with different drugs

2014-01-06
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Matt Shipman
matt_shipman@ncsu.edu
919-515-6386
North Carolina State University
New technique targets specific areas of cancer cells with different drugs Researchers have developed a technique for creating nanoparticles that carry two different cancer-killing drugs into the body and deliver those drugs to separate parts of the cancer cell where they will be most effective. The technique was developed by researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

"In testing on laboratory mice, our technique resulted in significant improvement in breast cancer tumor reduction as compared to conventional treatment techniques," says Dr. Zhen Gu, senior author of a paper on the research and an assistant professor in the joint biomedical engineering program at NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill.

"Cancer cells can develop resistance to chemotherapy drugs, but are less likely to develop resistance when multiple drugs are delivered simultaneously," Gu says. "However, different drugs target different parts of the cancer cell. For example, the protein drug TRAIL is most effective against the cell membrane, while doxorubicin (Dox) is most effective when delivered to the nucleus. We've come up with a sequential and site-specific delivery technique that first delivers TRAIL to cancer cell membranes and then penetrates the membrane to deliver Dox to the nucleus."

Gu's research team developed nanoparticles with an outer shell made of hyaluronic acid (HA) woven together with TRAIL. The HA interacts with receptors on cancer cell membranes, which "grab" the nanoparticle. Enzymes in the cancer cell environment break down the HA, releasing TRAIL onto the cell membrane and ultimately triggering cell death.

When the HA shell breaks down, it also reveals the core of the nanoparticle, which is made of Dox that is embedded with peptides that allow the core to penetrate into the cancer cell. The cancer cell encases the core in a protective bubble called an endosome, but the peptides on the core cause the endosome to begin breaking apart. This spills the Dox into the cell where it can penetrate the nucleus and trigger cell death.

"We designed this drug delivery vehicle using a 'programmed' strategy," says Tianyue Jiang, a lead author in Dr. Gu's lab. "Different drugs can be released at the right time in their right places," adds Dr. Ran Mo, a postdoctoral researcher in Gu's lab and the other lead author.

"This research is our first proof of concept, and we will continue to optimize the technique to make it even more efficient," Gu says. "The early results are very promising, and we think this could be scaled up for large-scale manufacturing."

### The paper, "Gel–Liposome-Mediated Co-Delivery of Anticancer Membrane-Associated Proteins and Small-Molecule Drugs for Enhanced Therapeutic Efficacy," is published online in Advanced Functional Materials. Co-authors of the paper are Adriano Bellotti, an undergraduate at NC State, and Dr. Jianping Zhou, a professor at China Pharmaceutical University.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

ALMA spots supernova dust factory

2014-01-06
ALMA spots supernova dust factory Striking new observations with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) telescope capture, for the first time, the remains of a recent supernova brimming with freshly formed dust. If enough of this dust makes the perilous transition into ...

BIDMC researcher looks at race and bariatric surgery

2014-01-06
BIDMC researcher looks at race and bariatric surgery Quality of life considerations are key when patients consider surgery BOSTON – While weight loss surgery offers one of the best opportunities to improve health and reduce obesity related illnesses, ...

Tiny proteins have outsized influence on nerve health

2014-01-06
Tiny proteins have outsized influence on nerve health And could make tarantula bites less painful Mutations in small proteins that help convey electrical signals throughout the body may have a surprisingly large effect on health, according to results of a new Johns ...

Miriam Hospital study shows keys to successful long-term weight loss maintenance

2014-01-06
Miriam Hospital study shows keys to successful long-term weight loss maintenance Study followed weight loss participants for a 10-year period (PROVIDENCE, R.I.) -- Researchers from The Miriam Hospital have published one of the first studies of its kind to follow weight loss maintenance for individuals ...

Tiny acts of microbe justice help reveal how nature fights freeloaders

2014-01-06
Tiny acts of microbe justice help reveal how nature fights freeloaders The idea of everyone in a community pitching in is so universal that even bacteria have a system to prevent the layabouts of their kind from enjoying the fruit of others' hard work, Princeton ...

Costs for complications from cancer surgical care extremely high

2014-01-06
Costs for complications from cancer surgical care extremely high Rice University, MD Anderson analyze statistics on cancer patients HOUSTON – (Jan. 6, 2014) – Although complications from surgical care for cancer patients may seem infrequent, the costs associated with such outcomes ...

New compounds discovered that are hundreds of times more mutagenic

2014-01-06
New compounds discovered that are hundreds of times more mutagenic CORVALLIS, Ore. – Researchers at Oregon State University have discovered novel compounds produced by certain types of chemical reactions – such as those found in vehicle exhaust or grilling ...

Improper use of biocides in food production may endanger public health

2014-01-06
Improper use of biocides in food production may endanger public health Biocides used in the food industry at sublethal doses may be endangering, rather than protecting, public health by increasing antibiotic resistance in bacteria and enhancing their ability ...

To curb China's haze and air pollution, use water

2014-01-06
To curb China's haze and air pollution, use water New geoengineering research suggests pollution-control measures inspired by watering a garden A new idea to cut back on air pollution: spray water into the atmosphere from sprinklers atop tall ...

Regional variation in Medicare imaging utilization is considerably less than regional variation in imaging costs

2014-01-06
Regional variation in Medicare imaging utilization is considerably less than regional variation in imaging costs The January issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR®) focuses on a variety of issues relating to clinical practice, practice ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Inflammation may explain why women with no standard modifiable risk factors have heart attacks and strokes

Unusual carbon dioxide-rich disk detected around young star challenges planet formation models

Treetop Tutorials: Orangutans learn how to build their beds by peering at others and a lot of practice!

Scientists uncover key protein in cellular fat storage

Study finds significant health benefits from gut bugs transfer

UC Riverside pioneers way to remove private data from AI models

Total-body PET imaging takes a look at long COVID

Surgery to treat chronic sinus disease more effective than antibiotics

New online tool could revolutionize how high blood pressure is treated

Around 90% of middle-aged and older autistic adults are undiagnosed in the UK, new review finds

Robot regret: New research helps robots make safer decisions around humans

Cells ‘vomit’ waste to promote healing, mouse study reveals

Wildfire mitigation strategies can cut destruction by half, study finds

Sniffing out how neurons are made

New AI tool identifies 1,000 ‘questionable’ scientific journals

Exploring the promise of human iPSC-heart cells in understanding fentanyl abuse

Raina Biosciences unveils breakthrough generative AI platform for mRNA therapeutics featured in Science

Yellowstone’s free roaming bison drive grassland resilience

Turbulent flow in heavily polluted Tijuana River drives regional air quality risks

Revealed: Genetic shifts that helped tame horses and made them rideable

Mars’ mantle is a preserved relic of its ancient past, seismic data reveals

Variation inside and out: cell types in fruit fly metamorphosis

Mount Sinai researchers use AI and lab tests to predict genetic disease risk

When bison are room to roam, they reawaken the Yellowstone ecosystem

Mars’s interior more like Rocky Road than Millionaire’s Shortbread, scientists find

Tijuana River’s toxic water pollutes the air

Penn engineers send quantum signals with standard internet protocol

Placebo pain relief works differently across human body, study finds

New method could monitor corrosion and cracking in a nuclear reactor

Pennington Biomedical researchers find metabolic health of pregnant women may matter more than weight gain

[Press-News.org] New technique targets specific areas of cancer cells with different drugs