Nanosol against cancer

 A new study conducted at the University of Georgia, USA, has demonstrated a way to fight cancer cells that is potentially safe for the patient. Nanoparticles of sodium chloride, ordinary table salt, are toxic to cancer cells and practically do not show negative systemic side effects for the patient.

Getting into cancer cells, ions disrupt the balance of their internal environment and lead to cell death. Decomposing, the nanoparticles turn into ordinary salt, so they are not harmful to the body.

This technology may be suitable for the local destruction of cancer cells in the treatment of cancer of the bladder, prostate, liver, head and neck.

The plasma membrane of cancer cells prevents sodium from entering the cell, but nanoscales allow sodium chloride to get inside because the cell does not recognize them as sodium ions.

Once inside the cell, sodium chloride nanoparticles break down into many sodium and chlorine ions, which disrupt the electrolyte balance and destroy the protective mechanisms, causing rupture of the plasma membrane and cell death. When the plasma membrane ruptures, fragments of the dead cell cause activation of the immune system; in response to tissue damage, an inflammatory reaction develops that helps the body fight pathogens.

Using mouse models, the researchers tested sodium chloride nanoparticles as a potential cancer drug by injecting them directly into tumors. They found that the nanoparticles suppressed tumor growth by 66% compared to the control group, without weight loss and without signs of toxicity to major organs.

The therapy was accompanied by the formation of immunity: after treatment of primary tumors with sodium chloride nanoparticles, live cancer cells were implanted in animals. In the absence of treatment, new tumors grew at a much slower rate than in the control group, the degree of inhibition of tumor growth was 53%.

Thus, sodium chloride nanoparticles killed cancer cells and turned dying cancer cells into a kind of vaccine in situ.

It is very important that after treatment, even in large doses, the nanoparticles turn into ordinary salt, which does not cause systemic side effects and does not have cumulative toxicity.

Article by W.Jiang et al. NaCl Nanoparticles as a Cancer Therapeutic is published in the journal Advanced Materials.

Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru according to UGA Today: Study finds salt nanoparticles are toxic to cancer cells.