Researchers at the University of Helsinki and the Universities of Finland and Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China have teamed up to create a nanomedicine for targeted cancer chemotherapy. The newest innovative technology allows for groundbreaking cell-based nanomedicine to be utilized for cancer treatment.
Nanomedicine is helping to bring new kinds of noninvasive cancer treatment to fruition. The potential for nanomedicine lies in its ability to integrate the attributes that natural biomaterials offer and the engineerability of synthetic nanoparticles.
Different compounds are present at the cellular origin of extracellular vesicles, including proteins and RNA. Now, scientists are combining these sacs with synthetic nanomaterials to prepare anticancer drugs that are extremely effective.
Exosome-based nanomedicines have increased cancer accumulation, extravasation from the bloodstream and deep tumor penetration in advanced stages after intravenous administration.
“This study highlights the importance of cell-based nanomedicines”, says the principal investigator and one of the corresponding authors of this study, Hélder A. Santos, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Nanoparticles based drug delivery systems have particularly promising healing power in cancer. Nanoparticles are often functionalized with targeted antibodies, peptides, or other biomolecules to increase their success with tumors. Such targeting ligands may sometimes have an adverse influence on the particle size as a result of the enhanced immune responses.
The unique functionalities of natural biomaterials is combined by biomimetic nanoparticles, such as bioengineering versatility of synthetic nanoparticles, and cell membranes or cells, that can be used as an efficient drug delivery platform.
Results have shown that the synthetic delivery system is able to target tumors more efficiently by mimicking the human body’s cellular structures. The nanomedicine is able to spread in the body more efficiently without triggering a natural response from the immune system.
The developed biocompatible exosome-sheathed porous silicon-based nanomedicines for targeted cancer chemotherapy resulted in augmented in vivo anticancer drug enrichment in tumor cells.
“This demonstrates the potential of the exosome-biomimetic nanoparticles to act as drug carriers to improve the anticancer drug efficacy”, Santos concludes.
Photo credit: Pexels/Chokniti Khongchum
Source:
helsinki.fi
goodnewsfinland.com
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