High-efficient anticancer therapy using DNA nanostructure
IBS researchers have succeeded in discovering a
scientific principle that induces DNA to deliver anticancer medicines and genes
in to targeted cancer cells, as well as significantly enhances therapeutic
effects. IBS researchers, who are led by Won Jong Kim, a
group leader at the Center for Self-assembly and Complexity, Institute for
Basic Science (IBS), as well as a professor in the Department of Chemistry
Polymer Research Institute, Pohang University of Science and Technology
(POSTECH), have found a scientific principle to develop DNA structure with
nanoparticles, which can intelligently deliver therapeutic agents and genes in
response to intracellular pH (potential of hydrogen) levels. This technology
can significantly improve anticancer therapy by delivering anticancer medicines
to cancer cells and by reducing a patient’s tolerance to anticancer drugs. By utilizing this technology, the diseased cells
can be killed through a release of medicines and genes with DNA that reduces
anticancer drug tolerance in to targeted cancer cells. Thus, this new principle
of using nanoparticles is expected to have implications in various fields, such
as medical science, pharmacy, healthcare, cancer treatments, etc. Researchers have developed an intelligent DNA
nanomachine that controls its motion according to present conditions. They have
conjugated pH-responsive DNA (“i-motif DNA”) to gold nanoparticles, and then
have hybridized the complementary DNA and antisense DNA (a therapeutic gene) to
the i-motif DNA, respectively. DNA structure with nanoparticles delivers
anticancer medicines to genes to fight cancer cells. The genes containing this
medicine spread out within the cells in response to low pH levels of endosome.
Also, researchers have discovered that when gold nanoparticles disperse, the
attached antisense DNAs silences genes that normally demonstrate drug
tolerance. This approach, unlike the existing method that
invades normal cells, releases medicines and genes, targeting specific cancer
cells. This leads to increased therapeutic effects and less side effects. The findings in this research were published
online, September 3, in the prominent nanoscience journal, ACS Nano, issued by the American Chemical Society (Impact factor of
12.033, top 5.33% of journals according to JCR rankings). Notes for editors -
The
paper entitled “Tumor-Homing, Size-Tunable Clustered
Nanoparticles for Anticancer Therapeutics” was published online on September 3.
(DOI: 10.1021/nn503349g) -
For
further information or to request media assistance, please contact: Mr. Jinhwan
Kim, IBS Center for Self-assembly and Complexity (+82-54-279-8688;
jinhwan@postech.ac.kr) or Mr. Han Bin Oh, Overseas Public Relations Officer,
IBS Public Relations Team (+82-42-878-8182; ohanvin@ibs.re.kr)
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Institute for Basic Science
(IBS) was founded in 2011 by the government of the Republic of Korea. With the
sole purpose of driving forward the development of basic science in Korea, IBS
will be comprised of a total of 50 research centers in all fields of basic
science, including mathematics, physics, chemistry, life science, earth science
and interdisciplinary science. IBS has launched 21 research centers as of
September 2014.
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