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)

-         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.