Clinicians have often pondered if cancer cells could be selectively targeted, and how payloads ranging from fluorescent dyes to oncology drugs could be accurately delivered to these cells, and then safely cleared through the kidneys. Now, researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Nanotechnology in the College of Engineering at Cornell University have found the answer in the form of a new class of ultra-small nanoparticles that are showing significant potential for cancer diagnosis and treatment, and positive results in pre-clinical and clinical trials.
Researchers are finding that the use of new ultra-small nanoparticles called C-dots allows improved visualization in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans for diagnosis and real-time image-guided intraoperative mapping of nodal metastases to aid in precise surgical excision, currently in Phase II human clinical trials.
These ultra-small particles can also serve as a precision therapeutic solution, targeting and penetrating cancer cells to deliver a range of cancer-killing drugs, with the promise of unused particles and the drugs they carry safely leaving the body through the renal system.
The architecture of the C-dot is an ultra-small silica nanoparticle with a diameter of less than 10 nanometers, first innovated at Cornell University by Ulrich Wiesner, the Spencer T. Olin Professor of Engineering. Silica, also known as silicon dioxide (SiO2), is a widely existing inorganic composition which can be found in many places, e.g. plants, cosmetics, medicine and food such as bread crust.
Multiple near infrared (near-IR) fluorescent dye molecules can be covalently encapsulated inside the silica particle, and the fluorescence brightness of these molecules is further enhanced by the rigid surrounding silica matrix. As a result, the overall fluorescence brightness of C-dots can be one order of magnitude higher than that of dyes alone, delivering new capabilities to surgeons. Meanwhile, the surface of C-dots is covalently covered with polymer chains to increase bio-compatibility. Due to the high versatility of the synthesis chemistry of C-dots, different functional ligands can be selectively attached to the end of some of the polymer chains on the C-dot surface to endow the particles with a variety of functionalities for different applications, including, but not limited to cancer targeting, radio-isotopes chelating, and small molecule drug delivery.
Importantly, the ultra-small hydrodynamic size of C-dots enable them to be efficiently cleared from the body through the renal system.
Image Credit: Elucida Oncology
News This Week
Magnetic nanoparticles that successfully navigate complex blood vessels may be ready for clinical trials
Every year, 12 million people worldwide suffer a stroke; many die or are permanently impaired. Currently, drugs are administered to dissolve the thrombus that blocks the blood vessel. These drugs spread throughout the entire [...]
Reviving Exhausted T Cells Sparks Powerful Cancer Tumor Elimination
Scientists have discovered how tumors secretly drain the energy from T cells—the immune system’s main cancer fighters—and how blocking that process can bring them back to life. The team found that cancer cells use [...]
Very low LDL-cholesterol correlates to fewer heart problems after stroke
Brigham and Women's Hospital's TIMI Study Group reports that in patients with prior ischemic stroke, very low achieved LDL-cholesterol correlated with fewer major adverse cardiovascular events and fewer recurrent strokes, without an apparent increase [...]
“Great Unified Microscope” Reveals Hidden Micro and Nano Worlds Inside Living Cells
University of Tokyo researchers have created a powerful new microscope that captures both forward- and back-scattered light at once, letting scientists see everything from large cell structures to tiny nanoscale particles in a single shot. Researchers [...]
Breakthrough Alzheimer’s Drug Has a Hidden Problem
Researchers in Japan found that although the Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab successfully removes amyloid plaques from the brain, it does not restore the brain’s waste-clearing system within the first few months of treatment. The study suggests that [...]
Concerning New Research Reveals Colon Cancer Is Skyrocketing in Adults Under 50
Colorectal cancer is striking younger adults at alarming rates, driven by lifestyle and genetic factors. Colorectal cancer (CRC) develops when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably in the colon or rectum, forming tumors that can eventually [...]
Scientists Discover a Natural, Non-Addictive Way To Block Pain That Could Replace Opioids
Scientists have discovered that the body can naturally dull pain through its own localized “benzodiazepine-like” peptides. A groundbreaking study led by a University of Leeds scientist has unveiled new insights into how the body manages pain, [...]
GLP-1 Drugs Like Ozempic Work, but New Research Reveals a Major Catch
Three new Cochrane reviews find evidence that GLP-1 drugs lead to clinically meaningful weight loss, though industry-funded studies raise concerns. Three new reviews from Cochrane have found that GLP-1 medications can lead to significant [...]
How a Palm-Sized Laser Could Change Medicine and Manufacturing
Researchers have developed an innovative and versatile system designed for a new generation of short-pulse lasers. Lasers that produce extremely short bursts of light are known for their remarkable precision, making them indispensable tools [...]
New nanoparticles stimulate the immune system to attack ovarian tumors
Cancer immunotherapy, which uses drugs that stimulate the body’s immune cells to attack tumors, is a promising approach to treating many types of cancer. However, it doesn’t work well for some tumors, including ovarian [...]
New Drug Kills Cancer 20,000x More Effectively With No Detectable Side Effects
By restructuring a common chemotherapy drug, scientists increased its potency by 20,000 times. In a significant step forward for cancer therapy, researchers at Northwestern University have redesigned the molecular structure of a well-known chemotherapy drug, greatly [...]
Lipid nanoparticles discovered that can deliver mRNA directly into heart muscle cells
Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death worldwide. But advances in heart-failure therapeutics have stalled, largely due to the difficulty of delivering treatments at the cellular level. Now, a UC Berkeley-led [...]
The basic mechanisms of visual attention emerged over 500 million years ago, study suggests
The brain does not need its sophisticated cortex to interpret the visual world. A new study published in PLOS Biology demonstrates that a much older structure, the superior colliculus, contains the necessary circuitry to perform the [...]
AI Is Overheating. This New Technology Could Be the Fix
Engineers have developed a passive evaporative cooling membrane that dramatically improves heat removal for electronics and data centers Engineers at the University of California San Diego have created an innovative cooling system designed to greatly enhance [...]
New nanomedicine wipes out leukemia in animal study
In a promising advance for cancer treatment, Northwestern University scientists have re-engineered the molecular structure of a common chemotherapy drug, making it dramatically more soluble and effective and less toxic. In the new study, [...]
Mystery Solved: Scientists Find Cause for Unexplained, Deadly Diseases
A study reveals that a protein called RPA is essential for maintaining chromosome stability by stimulating telomerase. New findings from the University of Wisconsin-Madison suggest that problems with a key protein that helps preserve chromosome stability [...]
Leave A Comment