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IMAGE: Kondo and his team found TUG1 overexpression in some pancreatic cancer patients leads to increased release of an enzyme (DPD), which breaks down the chemotherapeutic, 5-FU, into a compound that. view more
Credit: Yutaka Kondo
Nagoya University researchers and colleagues in Japan have uncovered a molecular pathway that enhances chemotherapy resistance in some pancreatic cancer patients. Targeting an RNA to interrupt its activity could improve patient response to therapy and increase their overall survival. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive human malignancies, with an overall median survival that is less than five months, says cancer biologist Yutaka Kondo of Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine. This poor prognosis is partially due to a lack of potent therapeutic strategies against pancreatic cancer, so more effective treatments are urgently needed.
Researchers develop ultra-small nanomedicines to target intractable cancers
Ultra-small nanomedicines of approximately 18 nm were fabricated by dynamic ion-pairing between Y-shaped block copolymers and nucleic acid drugs, such as siRNA and antisense drugs.
Chemically modified and double-stranded oligonucleotides dramatically enhanced the stability of the ultra-small nanomedicines in the blood circulation.
The ultra-small size allows for high permeability in cancer tissues by slipping through the cracks in tumor vasculatures and stromal tissues.
Clinical trials and preclinical studies using the developed ultra-small nanomedicines are proceeding for cancer therapy.
Published in the website of
Journal of Controlled Release on January 6.
Main body
The Innovation Center of NanoMedicine (Director General: Prof. Kazunori Kataoka, Location: Kawasaki-City in Japan, Abbreviation: iCONM) recently developed an ultra-small nanomedicines called Unit Polyion Complex (uPIC) in collaboratio
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VIDEO: Nanomedicines consisting of one molecule of oligonucleotide and one or two
molecules of Y-shaped block copolymer(s), of which the size is approximately
18 nm and is in dynamic equilibrium with free Y-shaped. view more
Credit: 2021 Innovation Center of NanoMedicine
Summary
Ultra-small nanomedicines of approximately 18 nm were fabricated by dynamic ion-pairing between Y-shaped block copolymers and nucleic acid drugs, such as siRNA and antisense drugs.
Chemically modified and double-stranded oligonucleotides dramatically enhanced the stability of the ultra-small nanomedicines in the blood circulation.
The ultra-small size allows for high permeability in cancer tissues by slipping through the cracks in tumor vasculatures and stromal tissues.