Nanotechnology may lead to new treatment of liver cancer
Hershey, PA | Posted on February 24th, 2011
Researchers evaluated the use of molecular-sized bubbles filled with C6-ceramide, called cerasomes, as an anti-cancer agent. Ceramide is a lipid molecule naturally present in the cell's plasma membrane and controls cell functions, including cell aging, or senescence.
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the fifth most common cancer in the world and is highly aggressive. The chance of surviving five years is less than five percent, and treatment is typically chemotherapy and surgical management including transplantation.
"The beauty of ceramide is that it is non-toxic to normal cells, putting them to sleep, while selectively killing cancer cells," said Mark Kester, Ph.D., G. Thomas Passananti Professor of Pharmacology.
Cerasomes, developed at Penn State College of Medicine, can target cancer cells very specifically and accurately, rather than affecting a larger area that includes healthy cells. The problem with ceramide is that as a lipid, it cannot be delivered effectively as a drug. To solve this limitation, the researchers use nanotechnology, creating the tiny cerasome, to turn the insoluble lipid into a soluble treatment.
"Cerasomes were designed as a therapeutic alternative to common chemotherapeutics," said Kester. "These have been shown to be toxic to cancer cells and not to normal cells, and have already been shown to effectively treat cellular and animal models of breast cancer and melanoma. Cerasomes have also been shown to be essentially free of toxic side effects normally associated with anticancer agents."
In the test tube and animal models of liver cancer, cerasomes, but not a placebo, selectively induced cell death in the cancer cells.
In mice with liver cancer, cerasomes blocked tumor vascularisation, the forming of blood vessels needed for growth and nutrition. Studies show that lack of nutrition causes cells to create more ceramide and leads to cell death.
"It is plausible that preventing liver tumor vascularization with cerasome treatment could induce widespread apoptosis, a genetically programmed series of events that leads to cell death in tumors," Kester said. "The efficacy of our cerasomes in the treatment of diverse cancers lends significant therapeutic promise as it translates from bench to bedside."
The researchers published their work in the journal Gut. A Penn State Dean's Feasibility Grant, Pennsylvania tobacco settlement funds, and the National Institutes of Health supported this work.
In an earlier study published in the journal Blood, researchers observed that cerasome use led to complete remission in aggressive, large granular lymphocytic leukemia in rats. In addition, the protein survivin, which prevents cell death, is heavily produced in NK-leukemia cells, but not in normal cells. Cerasome decreased expression of survivin and may lead to a therapeutic approach for fatal leukemia.
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the fifth most common cancer in the world and is highly aggressive. The chance of surviving five years is less than five percent, and treatment is typically chemotherapy and surgical management including transplantation.
"The beauty of ceramide is that it is non-toxic to normal cells, putting them to sleep, while selectively killing cancer cells," said Mark Kester, Ph.D., G. Thomas Passananti Professor of Pharmacology.
Cerasomes, developed at Penn State College of Medicine, can target cancer cells very specifically and accurately, rather than affecting a larger area that includes healthy cells. The problem with ceramide is that as a lipid, it cannot be delivered effectively as a drug. To solve this limitation, the researchers use nanotechnology, creating the tiny cerasome, to turn the insoluble lipid into a soluble treatment.
"Cerasomes were designed as a therapeutic alternative to common chemotherapeutics," said Kester. "These have been shown to be toxic to cancer cells and not to normal cells, and have already been shown to effectively treat cellular and animal models of breast cancer and melanoma. Cerasomes have also been shown to be essentially free of toxic side effects normally associated with anticancer agents."
In the test tube and animal models of liver cancer, cerasomes, but not a placebo, selectively induced cell death in the cancer cells.
In mice with liver cancer, cerasomes blocked tumor vascularisation, the forming of blood vessels needed for growth and nutrition. Studies show that lack of nutrition causes cells to create more ceramide and leads to cell death.
"It is plausible that preventing liver tumor vascularization with cerasome treatment could induce widespread apoptosis, a genetically programmed series of events that leads to cell death in tumors," Kester said. "The efficacy of our cerasomes in the treatment of diverse cancers lends significant therapeutic promise as it translates from bench to bedside."
The researchers published their work in the journal Gut. A Penn State Dean's Feasibility Grant, Pennsylvania tobacco settlement funds, and the National Institutes of Health supported this work.
In an earlier study published in the journal Blood, researchers observed that cerasome use led to complete remission in aggressive, large granular lymphocytic leukemia in rats. In addition, the protein survivin, which prevents cell death, is heavily produced in NK-leukemia cells, but not in normal cells. Cerasome decreased expression of survivin and may lead to a therapeutic approach for fatal leukemia.
La nanotecnología podría conducir a nuevos tratamientos del cáncer de hígado
Hershey, PA | Publicado el 24 de febrero 2011
Investigadores evaluaron el uso del tamaño de una molécula de burbujas llenas de C6-ceramida, llamado cerasomas, como un agente anti-cáncer. La ceramida es una molécula lipídica naturalmente presente en la membrana plasmática de la célula y controla las funciones celulares, incluyendo el envejecimiento celular o senescencia.
El carcinoma hepatocelular es el quinto cáncer más común en el mundo y es muy agresivo. Las probabilidades de sobrevivir cinco años es menor del cinco por ciento, y el tratamiento suele ser la quimioterapia y el tratamiento quirúrgico, incluido el trasplante.
"La bondad de la ceramida es que no es tóxico para las células normales, poniendolas a dormir, mientras que mata selectivamente las células cancerosas", dijo Mark Kester, Ph.D., Thomas G. Passananti Profesor de Farmacología.
los cerasomas, desarrollados en Penn State College of Medicine, pueden dirigirse a las células de cáncer de forma muy concreta y precisa, en lugar de afectar un área más grande que incluye a las células sanas.
"Los cerasomas fueron diseñados como una alternativa terapéutica a la quimioterapia común", dijo Kester. "Estos han demostrado ser tóxicos para las células cancerosas y no a las células normales, y ya se han demostrado tratar con eficacia los modelos celulares y animales de cáncer de mama y melanoma. los cerasomas también han demostrado ser esencialmente libres de efectos secundarios tóxicos que normalmente se asocian con los agentes contra el cáncer. "
Investigadores evaluaron el uso del tamaño de una molécula de burbujas llenas de C6-ceramida, llamado cerasomas, como un agente anti-cáncer. La ceramida es una molécula lipídica naturalmente presente en la membrana plasmática de la célula y controla las funciones celulares, incluyendo el envejecimiento celular o senescencia.
El carcinoma hepatocelular es el quinto cáncer más común en el mundo y es muy agresivo. Las probabilidades de sobrevivir cinco años es menor del cinco por ciento, y el tratamiento suele ser la quimioterapia y el tratamiento quirúrgico, incluido el trasplante.
"La bondad de la ceramida es que no es tóxico para las células normales, poniendolas a dormir, mientras que mata selectivamente las células cancerosas", dijo Mark Kester, Ph.D., Thomas G. Passananti Profesor de Farmacología.
los cerasomas, desarrollados en Penn State College of Medicine, pueden dirigirse a las células de cáncer de forma muy concreta y precisa, en lugar de afectar un área más grande que incluye a las células sanas.
"Los cerasomas fueron diseñados como una alternativa terapéutica a la quimioterapia común", dijo Kester. "Estos han demostrado ser tóxicos para las células cancerosas y no a las células normales, y ya se han demostrado tratar con eficacia los modelos celulares y animales de cáncer de mama y melanoma. los cerasomas también han demostrado ser esencialmente libres de efectos secundarios tóxicos que normalmente se asocian con los agentes contra el cáncer. "
En ratones con cáncer de hígado, bloquea la vascularización del tumor, la formación de vasos sanguíneos necesarios para el crecimiento y la nutrición del tumor.
"Es posible que la prevención de la vascularización de tumores hepáticos con el tratamiento de cerasoma podría inducir apoptosis generalizada, una serie de eventos programados genéticamente que conduce a la muerte celular en los tumores", dijo Kester. "La eficacia de nuestros cerasomas en el tratamiento de los cánceres de diversos tipos presta una promesa terapéutica importante.
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