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theweaselkingPhotodynamic therapy (PDT), which uses a light-sensitive chemical known as a photosensitizer to produce cell-killing “reactive oxygen,” has become an important option for the treatment of esophageal cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. Current photosensitizers, however, produce significant side effects, including sensitivity to the sun, that limits their wider use in treating cancer.
In an attempt to both eliminate those side effects and increase the anticancer activity of photosensitizers, a multi-institutional research team led by Ralph Weissleder, M.D., co-director of the MIT-Harvard Center of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence, has developed a polymer nanoparticle to ferry photosensitizers into cancer cells, where they can then unleash their potent cell-killing effects. The investigators report their work in the journal Nano Letters.
Dr. Weissleder and his colleagues created nanoparticles from a biodegradable polymer known as polylactic-co-glycolic acid, and used these nanoparticles to encapsulate a photosensitizer designed to aggregate within the nanoparticle. Such aggregation prevents the photosensitizer molecules from being activated by light, rendering them non-toxic while circulating in the bloodstream. But once the nanoparticles are taken up by cancer cells, they fall apart and release the photosensitizer molecules, which then disaggregate. As a result, the photosensitizers become active once more and can kill cancer cells when irradiated with light.
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"Current photosensitizers, however, produce significant side effects, including sensitivity to the sun" - does anyone else think that that SO TOTALLY shouldn't be a surprising side effect? At all?
In an attempt to both eliminate those side effects and increase the anticancer activity of photosensitizers, a multi-institutional research team led by Ralph Weissleder, M.D., co-director of the MIT-Harvard Center of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence, has developed a polymer nanoparticle to ferry photosensitizers into cancer cells, where they can then unleash their potent cell-killing effects. The investigators report their work in the journal Nano Letters.
Dr. Weissleder and his colleagues created nanoparticles from a biodegradable polymer known as polylactic-co-glycolic acid, and used these nanoparticles to encapsulate a photosensitizer designed to aggregate within the nanoparticle. Such aggregation prevents the photosensitizer molecules from being activated by light, rendering them non-toxic while circulating in the bloodstream. But once the nanoparticles are taken up by cancer cells, they fall apart and release the photosensitizer molecules, which then disaggregate. As a result, the photosensitizers become active once more and can kill cancer cells when irradiated with light.
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"Current photosensitizers, however, produce significant side effects, including sensitivity to the sun" - does anyone else think that that SO TOTALLY shouldn't be a surprising side effect? At all?
(no subject)
Date: 2006-01-12 06:01 pm (UTC)Cancer causes vampires. Oh yes.
-K
(no subject)
Date: 2006-01-12 06:10 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-01-12 09:36 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-01-12 11:36 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-01-13 12:32 am (UTC)It makes me slap my head the same way that "Danger: Contents may be wet!" would on a bottle of water.