We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us
INTEGRA BIOSCIENCES AG

Download Mobile App




Researchers Demonstrate Potential of Drug Delivery System for Melanoma

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 12 Jan 2017
Print article
Image: An artist’s conception of nanoparticle-carrying immune cells that target tumors and release drug-loaded nanoparticles for cancer treatment (Photo courtesy of Jian Yang and Yixue Su, Pennsylvania State University).
Image: An artist’s conception of nanoparticle-carrying immune cells that target tumors and release drug-loaded nanoparticles for cancer treatment (Photo courtesy of Jian Yang and Yixue Su, Pennsylvania State University).
A novel delivery system for anticancer drugs is based on biodegradable theranostic nanoparticles transported by immune cells that are naturally attracted to the site of the growing tumor.

Theranostic (combination of diagnostic and therapeutic) nanomedicine is emerging as a promising therapeutic approach. It takes advantage of the high capacity of nanoplatforms to ferry cargo and loads onto them both imaging and therapeutic functions. The resulting nanosystems, capable of diagnosis, drug delivery, and monitoring of therapeutic response, are expected to play a significant role in the era of personalized medicine, and much research effort has been devoted toward that goal. A convenience in constructing such function-integrated agents is that many nanoplatforms are already, themselves, imaging agents. Their well-developed surface chemistry makes it easy to load them with pharmaceutical agents and promote them to be theranostic nanosystems.

Investigators at Pennsylvania State University developed a novel drug delivery system for treatment of melanoma that used immune system macrophages as both nanoparticle (NP) carriers and navigators to achieve cancer-specific drug delivery.

Theranostic NPs were fabricated from a unique polymer, biodegradable photoluminescent poly (lactic acid) (BPLP-PLA), which possessed strong fluorescence, biodegradability, and cytocompatibility. In order to minimize the toxicity of cancer drugs to immune cells and other healthy cells, an anti-BRAF V600E mutant melanoma specific drug (PLX4032) was loaded into the BPLP-PLA nanoparticles. Muramyl tripeptide was also conjugated onto the nanoparticles to improve the nanoparticle loading efficiency.

The investigators reported in the December 27, 2016, online issue of the journal Small that the nanoparticles were internalized within macrophages, which were tracked via the intrinsic fluorescence of BPLP-PLA. Macrophages carrying nanoparticles delivered drugs to melanoma cells selectively via cell to cell binding. Pharmacological studies indicated that the PLX4032 loaded nanoparticles effectively killed melanoma cells in cultures under conditions that mimicked those that would be found in the body.

“The traditional way to deliver drugs to tumors is to put the drug inside some type of nanoparticle and inject those particles into the bloodstream,” said senior author Dr. Jian Yang, professor of biomedical engineering at Pennsylvania State University. “Because the particles are so small, if they happen to reach the tumor site they have a chance of penetrating through the blood vessel wall because the vasculature of tumors is usually leaky.”

“I have 10 years of working in immunology and cancer,” said contributing author Dr. Cheng Dong, professor of biomedical engineering at Pennsylvania State University. “Jian is more a biomaterials scientist. He knows how to make the nanoparticles biodegradable. He knows how to modify the particles with surface chemistry, to decorate them with peptides or antibodies. His material is naturally fluorescent, so you can track the particles at the same time they are delivering the drug, a process called theranostics that combines therapy and diagnostics. On the other hand, I study the cancer microenvironment, and I have discovered that the microenvironment of the tumor generates kinds of inflammatory signals similar to what would happen if you had an infection.”

Platinum Member
COVID-19 Rapid Test
OSOM COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test
HLX
Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Test
GPP-100 Anti-CCP Kit
New
Gold Member
Cancer Mutation Profiling Liquid Kit
OncoScreen Plus

Print article

Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel
Image: Reaching speeds up to 6,000 RPM, this centrifuge forms the basis for a new type of inexpensive, POC biomedical test (Photo courtesy of Duke University)

POC Biomedical Test Spins Water Droplet Using Sound Waves for Cancer Detection

Exosomes, tiny cellular bioparticles carrying a specific set of proteins, lipids, and genetic materials, play a crucial role in cell communication and hold promise for non-invasive diagnostics.... Read more

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: The study showed the blood-based cancer screening test detects 83% of people with colorectal cancer with specificity of 90% (Photo courtesy of Guardant Health)

Blood Test Shows 83% Accuracy for Detecting Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is the second biggest cause of cancer deaths among adults in the U.S., with forecasts suggesting 53,010 people might die from it in 2024. While fewer older adults are dying from this... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The Gazelle Hb Variant Test (Photo courtesy of Hemex Health)

First Affordable and Rapid Test for Beta Thalassemia Demonstrates 99% Diagnostic Accuracy

Hemoglobin disorders rank as some of the most prevalent monogenic diseases globally. Among various hemoglobin disorders, beta thalassemia, a hereditary blood disorder, affects about 1.5% of the world's... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: The new platform is designed to perform blood-based diagnoses of nontuberculosis mycobacteria (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

New Blood Test Cuts Diagnosis Time for Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Infections from Months to Hours

Breathing in nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is a common experience for many people. These bacteria are present in water systems, soil, and dust all over the world and usually don't cause any problems.... Read more

Industry

view channel
Image: These new assays are being developed for use on the recently introduced DxI 9000 Immunoassay Analyzer (Photo courtesy of Beckman Coulter)

Beckman Coulter and Fujirebio Expand Partnership on Neurodegenerative Disease Diagnostics

Beckman Coulter Diagnostics (Brea, CA, USA) and Fujirebio Diagnostics (Tokyo, Japan) have expanded their partnership focused on the development, manufacturing and clinical adoption of neurodegenerative... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.