Bioinspired by tunicates and mussels, a Korean research team has created a “bomb-like” anticancer therapeutic agent that only destroys cancer cells.
The nanobomb produces heat in precise sites where near-IR (NIR) laser is irradiated to create nitric oxide gas, which has an anticancer effect and concurrently discharges anticancer drugs to accomplish the trimodal treatment of photothermal-gas-chemo-therapy.
The POSTECH research team was headed by Professor Hyung Joon Cha and Dr. Yeonsu Jeong (Department of Chemical Engineering) in partnership with Professor Yun Kee Jo’s team at Kyungpook National University (Department of Biomedical Convergence Science and Technology, School of Convergence).
The researchers engineered a photoactivatable adhesive nanobomb with mussel adhesive proteins (MAPs) and the catechol-vanadium complex of tunicates that involves light-associated energy conversion through electron transfer. The term ‘photoactivatable’ denotes the characteristic where properties vary based on the external light.
Since cancer manifests via multiple biological pathways, a process that integrates several treatments rather than one single treatment is generally employed. But it is challenging to deliver several therapeutic agents at once to a particular cancer site because of the large amount of fluid found in the human body.
Among such approaches, light-triggered photothermal therapy (PTT) employs nanoparticles of metals, synthetic polymers or carbon. However, their weak biodegradability, which can cause a hazard of systemic toxicity, and low photothermal conversion efficiency — the efficiency at which the captured light is turned to heat — render effective cancer treatment tough.
To this, the researchers developed nanoparticles by incorporating the catechol-vanadium complexes — which help electrons and light travel in tunicates — to the MAP. When these nanoparticles are exposed to the light from NIR lasers, the temperature can be increased to 50 degrees within 5 minutes, displaying exceptional photothermal conversion efficiency of around 50%.
These nanoparticles can be retained on cancer cells for an extended period owing to the robust adhesiveness of MAP. Furthermore, the excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability of proteinic nanoparticles resolve the safety matter of traditional light-responsive nanotherapeutics.
When the nanoparticles comprising a thermo-sensitive nitric oxide (NO) donor and an anticancer drug were irradiated using the near-IR (NIR) laser, NO gas and drugs were effectively discharged due to the photothermal effect, verifying their likelihood for use in a nanobomb.
It is generally tough to retain the anticancer effects of NO gas as it rapidly biometabolizes. However, the nanobomb can regulate the release of gas with light, which significantly raises the delivery efficiency of NO.
In preclinical testing in animal models, the tumor grew back 15 days after being treated with only a single photothemal treatment, whereas the therapeutic effectiveness was extended with trimodal treatments using nanobombs as no tumors were seen for around 1 month.
With a single nanoparticle, various site-specific therapeutic agents can be locally administered and multimodal treatments can be easily controlled with a single stimulus, which will be effective in treating cancer patients in the future.
Professor Hyung Joon Cha, Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology
“This nanobomb can be applied not only to photothermal-gas-chemo-therapy, but also to the delivery of therapeutics including genes and antibodies or contrast agents, and therefore can be widely used according to the specific needs of the patient or the condition,” Professor Hyung Joon Cha added.
This research was chosen as the front cover paper of the December issue of Advanced Healthcare Materials, a well-known journal in the domain of materials science.
The research was performed with the support from the National Research Foundation grant funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT of Korea, the National Research Foundation grant funded by the Ministry of Education of Korea, and the Marine BioMaterials Research Center grant funded by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of Korea.
The mussel adhesive protein technology has gone through a technology transfer to Nature Glutech Co., Ltd., and clinical trials will take place after procuring investigational new drug (IND) approvals.
News
Scientists Are Pretty Close to Replicating the First Thing That Ever Lived
For 400 million years, a leading hypothesis claims, Earth was an “RNA World,” meaning that life must’ve first replicated from RNA before the arrival of proteins and DNA. Unfortunately, scientists have failed to find [...]
Why ‘Peniaphobia’ Is Exploding Among Young People (And Why We Should Be Concerned)
An insidious illness is taking hold among a growing proportion of young people. Little known to the general public, peniaphobia—the fear of becoming poor—is gaining ground among teens and young adults. Discover the causes [...]
Team finds flawed data in recent study relevant to coronavirus antiviral development
The COVID pandemic illustrated how urgently we need antiviral medications capable of treating coronavirus infections. To aid this effort, researchers quickly homed in on part of SARS-CoV-2's molecular structure known as the NiRAN domain—an [...]
Drug-Coated Neural Implants Reduce Immune Rejection
Summary: A new study shows that coating neural prosthetic implants with the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone helps reduce the body’s immune response and scar tissue formation. This strategy enhances the long-term performance and stability of electrodes [...]
Scientists discover cancer-fighting bacteria that ‘soak up’ forever chemicals in the body
A family of healthy bacteria may help 'soak up' toxic forever chemicals in the body, warding off their cancerous effects. Forever chemicals, also known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), are toxic chemicals that [...]
Johns Hopkins Researchers Uncover a New Way To Kill Cancer Cells
A new study reveals that blocking ribosomal RNA production rewires cancer cell behavior and could help treat genetically unstable tumors. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and the Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular [...]
AI matches doctors in mapping lung tumors for radiation therapy
In radiation therapy, precision can save lives. Oncologists must carefully map the size and location of a tumor before delivering high-dose radiation to destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. But this process, called [...]
Scientists Finally “See” Key Protein That Controls Inflammation
Researchers used advanced microscopy to uncover important protein structures. For the first time, two important protein structures in the human body are being visualized, thanks in part to cutting-edge technology at the University of [...]
AI tool detects 9 types of dementia from a single brain scan
Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that helps clinicians identify brain activity patterns linked to nine types of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, using a single, widely available scan—a transformative [...]
Is plastic packaging putting more than just food on your plate?
New research reveals that common food packaging and utensils can shed microscopic plastics into our food, prompting urgent calls for stricter testing and updated regulations to protect public health. Beyond microplastics: The analysis intentionally [...]
Aging Spreads Through the Bloodstream
Summary: New research reveals that aging isn’t just a local cellular process—it can spread throughout the body via the bloodstream. A redox-sensitive protein called ReHMGB1, secreted by senescent cells, was found to trigger aging features [...]
AI and nanomedicine find rare biomarkers for prostrate cancer and atherosclerosis
Imagine a stadium packed with 75,000 fans, all wearing green and white jerseys—except one person in a solid green shirt. Finding that person would be tough. That's how hard it is for scientists to [...]
Are Pesticides Breeding the Next Pandemic? Experts Warn of Fungal Superbugs
Fungicides used in agriculture have been linked to an increase in resistance to antifungal drugs in both humans and animals. Fungal infections are on the rise, and two UC Davis infectious disease experts, Dr. George Thompson [...]
Scientists Crack the 500-Million-Year-Old Code That Controls Your Immune System
A collaborative team from Penn Medicine and Penn Engineering has uncovered the mathematical principles behind a 500-million-year-old protein network that determines whether foreign materials are recognized as friend or foe. How does your body [...]
Team discovers how tiny parts of cells stay organized, new insights for blocking cancer growth
A team of international researchers led by scientists at City of Hope provides the most thorough account yet of an elusive target for cancer treatment. Published in Science Advances, the study suggests a complex signaling [...]
Nanomaterials in Ophthalmology: A Review
Eye diseases are becoming more common. In 2020, over 250 million people had mild vision problems, and 295 million experienced moderate to severe ocular conditions. In response, researchers are turning to nanotechnology and nanomaterials—tools that are transforming [...]
