Theranostics in MISIS
Russian drug has extended the life of cancer-stricken mice for a record time
A team of scientists from NUST MISIS and the Russian National Research Medical University named after N. I. Pirogov conducted successful preclinical studies of a new antitumor drug based on magnetite nanoparticles. Tests showed an increase in the life expectancy of sick mice by 69.5%. The results are published in the journal Nanomedicine (Semkina et al., Multimodal doxorubicin loaded magnetic nanoparticles for VEGF targeted therapostics of breast cancer).
The drug consists of two components. One of them is spherical magnetite nanoparticles, in which a cytostatic drug (a toxic substance that destroys tumor cells) was placed, and the other is vector molecules that perform the function of a "conductor" accompanying particles with poison to the affected organ.
The molecule is an antibody to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a signaling protein that cells produce to stimulate the formation of the embryonic vascular system. The molecule thus works according to the "key-lock" scheme, that is, it finds only a certain type of cells and joins them. Russian scientists were among the first to use a vector molecule in an unusual functional – previously it was used as an independent drug. Despite the fact that monotherapy with the use of these antibodies has not yet shown high efficiency, this does not make the use of protein as a "conductor" for drug delivery less promising.
The process of releasing a cancer drug
"Studies have shown that the proposed therapeutic scheme is effective: experiments in vitro and then in vivo showed that the life expectancy of animals undergoing treatment with the new drug increased by 69.5% – from 23 days to 39, – explains Maxim Abakumov, head of the scientific group, head of the laboratory "Biomedical Nanomaterials" of NUST MISIS. – In addition, the proposed substance can be used to visualize tumor tissue during an MRI examination. This could potentially be used to facilitate the work of surgeons during the operation in order to mark and show the edges of the affected organ."
NUST MISIS scientists have been working with magnetite nanoparticles for the fourth year to create anti-tumor drugs. In addition to the drug delievery scheme (targeted drug delivery), to which the current study relates, iron oxide particles show good results in the method of therapy by hyperthermia. The essence of the method is that magnetite nanoparticles are injected into the affected organ, where they accumulate. Then they are exposed to an alternating electromagnetic field, which causes them to warm up to 43-45 degrees, raising the temperature in the surrounding cancer cells, which die at the same time. As you know, cancer cells are more sensitive to temperature changes than healthy ones, so that healthy tissue remains intact. Now the research team continues to test and optimize the new drug, which will enter the next stage of preclinical research in 2019.
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