Nanoparticles triggered by X-rays can target cancer

Scientists have developed nano-bubbles filled with drugs that can be triggered in the body by standard X-rays and can pave the way for a new range of cancer treatments. Small bubbles, known as liposomes, are commonly used in pharmacology to encapsulate drugs, making them more effective in treating the disease. Researchers have now successfully designed these liposomes to unload their cargo of prescription drugs, once activated by standard X-rays. Initial tests have shown that this technique is very effective at killing intestinal cancer cells.

"The development and application of various models of nanomaterials for drug delivery is currently a key area of ​​nanomedicine," said Wei Deng. Macquarie University in Australia. "Liposomes are already well established as a highly effective drug delivery system," said Deng. "Made from similar materials to cell membranes, these" bubbles "are relatively simple to prepare, can be filled with appropriate medications and then injected into specific parts of the body," she said.

"We have ensured that liposomes release their drug load at exactly the right time and in the right place to ensure the most effective treatment," said Deng. One way to do this is to trigger the liposome collapse when and where it is needed. Our X-ray releasable liposomes allow this drug release on demand, "she said.

"The approach we took was to incorporate gold nanoparticles and the photo-sensitive molecule into the liposome wall. Radiation radiation causes the reaction of verteporfin and produces highly reactive singlet oxygen which then destabilizes the liposomal membrane, causing release of the drug, according to the researchers.

The gold nanoparticles are added in the mixture they concentrate the energy of X-rays. This enhances the generation of singlet oxygen and thus improves the rate of rupture of the membrane, add-on. they. "Our X-ray-triggered liposomes were loaded with the chemotherapy drug, doxorubicin, which killed many more cancer cells." Ewa Goldys, professor at Macquarie University

"We then tested our liposomes to determine Their efficacy against intestinal tumors The tumors treated with our liposomes gradually decreased during the two-week test period, which is an extremely encouraging result, "said Goldys.