Iron oxide nanocervices for the diagnosis and treatment of tumors
Researchers at the Universities of California in San Diego and Santa Barbara and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, working under the leadership of Professor Michael Sailor, have developed nanoparticles called "nanochervi" and are able to move through human blood vessels in search of tumors without being exposed to the immune system.
The authors claim that in the future, with the help of "nano-worms", doctors will be able to identify and target emerging tumors that are too small for diagnosis using traditional methods. In addition, they can be used for targeted delivery of large doses of chemotherapy drugs to tumors without affecting other organs.
Most nanoparticles are recognized by the body's defense mechanisms and removed from the bloodstream within a few minutes. The new "nanochervi", due to the combination of the shape and properties of the polymer coating, avoid "fights" with the immune system and can circulate in the blood for many hours.
"Nanochervi", whose length is about 30 nm, consist of spherical iron oxide nanoparticles interconnected like segments of an earthworm. These tiny flexible worms are clearly visible using traditional diagnostic methods, especially due to the superparamagnetism inherent in iron oxide, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), used to detect tumors.
During the experiments, in addition to the biopolymer coating from dextran, the researchers coated the nanocerves with the F3 peptide selectively binding to tumor cells, developed by specialists from the University of California (Santa Barbara).
Due to the elongated shape, nanocervi can be carriers of a large number of F3 molecules that simultaneously bind to the tumor. This ensures their strong attachment to the neoplasm.
The authors intravenously injected their nanocerves into mice with tumors and observed their aggregation in tumor zones. They found that unlike nanospheres of a similar size, which are removed from the blood by cells of the immune system, nanochervi remain in the bloodstream for hours, which increases the likelihood of their interaction with tumors.
Currently, scientists are developing methods for attaching drugs to the surface of nanowires, as well as applying specific chemical "barcodes" to them, which will ensure their delivery to specific tumors or organs.
Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of ScienceDaily
12.05.2008