Nanoparticles triggered by X-rays can target cancer

Small bubbles, known as liposomes, are commonly used in pharmacology to encapsulate drugs, making it more effective in treating the disease. (Reuters)

Scientists have developed nano-bubbles filled with drugs that can be triggered in the body by standard X-rays and that could 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. Early 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 an extremely 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. The question is, however, to control the rapid release of the drug by the liposome, "she added.

" We have ensured that liposomes release their drug load at the right time and in exactly the right place to deliver the treatment. more effective, "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. added. X-ray radiation reacts verteporfin and produces highly reactive singlet oxygen which then destabilizes the liposomal membrane, causing the release of the drug, according to the researchers.

Gold nanoparticles are added to the mix as they concentrate the energy of x-rays. This enhances the generation of singlet oxygen and thus improves the rate of breakup of the membrane, they add. "Our X-ray-triggered liposomes were loaded with the chemotherapy drug, doxorubicin, which killed cancer cells much more efficiently than without triggering X-rays," said Ewa Goldys, a professor at Macquarie University [19659005]. liposomes to determine the effectiveness against intestinal tumors. The tumors treated with our liposomes gradually decreased during the two-week trial period, which is a very encouraging result, "said Goldys.