Specially engineered nanoparticles that turn electromagnetic energy into heat to destroy tumor cells have been created by many research institutions from around the world in the last decade or so. While these particles can do a great deal of damage to targeted tissues, anything to do with cancer can always benefit from improvement. To that end, researchers at Duke University wrapped nanoshells that heat up in response to near infrared light with a hydrogel coating containing a chemo compound (doxorubicin ). The hydrogel, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylamide), is swollen with water mixed with the chemo drug at body temperature, but releases the water along with the drug once heated up.
Nanoparticle coated with a thin layer of drug-delivering hydrogels. Scale bar is 20 nm.
The researchers performed experiments comparing the new combination particles with the administration of doxorubicin on its own, showing that the drug penetrates cancer cells more readily when using the new nanoparticle-hydrogel delivery method. The team believes that not only does heat from the nanoshells cause destruction to nearby cancer cells, but that those not killed tend to open up their membranes in response to heat to allow the drug to pass through.
Study in Biomaterials Science & Engineering: Hydrogel-Coated Near Infrared Absorbing Nanoshells as Light-Responsive Drug Delivery Vehicles…
Source: Duke University…
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