July 31, 2008 -- By binding magnetic nanoparticles to human ovarian cancer cells, researchers at Georgia Tech can make the cancerous cells rise to the skin surface by simply passing a magnet over them.
The research could be used to identify and remove not only against ovarian cancer cells, but also other cancer cells, bacteria and viruses.
"In principle this technique could be applied to any pathogen that is found in the blood stream," said John McDonald, a scientist at Georgia Tech and coauthor of the paper that appeared in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
It may seem like magic, but the trick lies in the nanoparticles. The particles are ten nanometers or less in size and have traces of cobalt inside a ball of magnetite. Those metallic pieces are attached to a protein that only binds to a specific protein found on the surface of ovarian cancer cells.
The beauty of the experiment, according to McDonald, is the nanoparticles' affinity for ovarian cancer cells.
"The strength of the binding has to be very strong so when you pull the particles with a magnet they don't just fall off," said McDonald.
The researchers injected the nanoparticles, which also contained a colored dye, into mice with human ovarian cancer cells. The nanoparticles circulated though the mouse's body and attached themselves to the cancer cells.
Then the researchers applied a magnet to the stomach of the mice and the cells rose and colored the skin of the mice.
The researchers focused on ovarian cancer initially because of their previous research. However, they note that the nanoparticles were originally developed to bind to viruses, and depending on the protein being used, could also bind to proteins on the surface of other cancer cells, bacteria, and viruses.
"It's a really interesting approach," said Andre Gobin, a nanoparticle researcher at the University of Louisville. "This opens up the possibility for other therapeutics for many other kinds of cells."
Before any potential therapy can be applied to real human patients, the nanoparticles will have to pass clinical trials. The Georgia Tech scientists hope to begin two separate clinical trials within the year.
The traditional approach is to bring the nanoparticles to the cancer cells. Researchers would inject the nanoparticles into the body where they would float around and attach onto any cancer cells.
Surgeons could then remove the individual cells when they remove the main tumor mass. This method requires extensive testing to ensure there are no unexpected or toxic side effects.
The faster way to clinical trials, according to McDonald, is to bring the cancer cells to the nanoparticles. By taking the blood and fluids out of the body and running them through a machine the nanoparticles would act like a filter, grabbing ahold of any cancer cells that pass next to them while the healthy fluids pass back into the body. This way the nanoparticles never enter the body, decreasing the chances of any adverse reaction.
"We think we've found a good targeting system for ovarian cancer cells," said McDonald. "Now we just have to think about what else we can target."
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