OSU reports "breakthrough" in nanoparticle cancer treatment
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Researchers at Oregon State University say they have made a "significant breakthrough" in using nanoparticles to deliver treatment to specific parts of the brain.
Why it matters: The novel drug-delivery method that breaches the blood-brain barrier could be used to treat a host of diseases that afflict millions — like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and a deadly condition associated with cancer.
- The findings of the research, which was conducted on mice, were published this month in the journal Advanced Health Materials.
Threat level: Oleh Taratula, a professor in the College of Pharmacy who led the research at Oregon State, said he and his team specifically looked at treating cancer cachexia, a condition in people with cancer that causes inflammation in the hypothalamus, leading to weight loss regardless of how much they eat.
- The hypothalamus regulates body temperature, manages sleep cycles and controls hunger and thirst.
- The condition affects roughly 80% of advanced cancer patients and can be fatal in up to 30% of them, Taratula said.
How it works: The treatment involves specially engineered nanoparticles — called dual peptide-functionalized polymeric nanocarriers — delivered to the hypothalamus to prevent inflammation.
- The hypothalamus is protected by the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a layer of tightly packed cells that controls what substances can move between the blood and the brain — allowing in things like oxygen and glucose, but blocking toxins and pathogens.
- The restrictive nature of the barrier has made delivering therapies to the brain a challenge.
What they found: Taratula and his team were able to deliver anti-inflammatory agents called IRAK4 inhibitors to the specific area of the hypothalamus in mice, leading to a 94% increase in food intake as well as significant improvements in retaining body weight and muscle mass.
- "We demonstrated, for the first time, that nanocarriers can successfully deliver an IRAK4 inhibitor to the hypothalamus of mice with cancer cachexia," he said.
The big picture: Taratula said the demonstrated ability to target therapies through the blood-brain barrier "opens new possibilities for treating neurological conditions characterized by brain inflammation, including Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis."
- "Our work presents a significant breakthrough," he said.
What they're saying: Aaron Grossberg, a professor of radiation medicine at Oregon Health & Science University who was not affiliated with the Oregon State research, said the technology is already seeing real-world applications, particularly in chemotherapy and gene therapy, where nanoparticles help reduce toxicity and improve targeting.
- But using it to deliver treatment through the blood-brain barrier is a new development that Grossberg said could be seen in human patients soon.
- "This is not a pie-in-the-sky thing," he told Axios. "I think that the approach that these guys are showing is pretty visionary and does have real potential."