Origami-inspired nanorobots show promise for targeting and killing cancer cells in mice: study: Health: Tech Times

Researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have developed an ingenious approach to treating cancer using nanorobots inspired by the ancient art of origami.

These nanorobots, described in a study published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, have shown promise in specifically targeting and killing cancer cells in mice, offering a potential breakthrough in cancer treatment.

Hexagonal peptide nanomodel

The key to this revolutionary method lies in a hexagonal peptide nanomodel developed by the research team.

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that, when arranged in a hexagonal pattern, can trigger cell death by organizing death receptors (DRs) on the cell surface.

“This hexagonal nano-pattern of peptides becomes a lethal weapon,” explains Professor Björn Högberg, who led the study at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics at Karolinska Institutet.

DNA Origami: A Closer Look

One of the challenges of cancer treatment is ensuring that therapeutic agents selectively target cancer cells without harming healthy cells.

To solve this problem, the researchers used DNA origami, a technique used to create nanoscale structures. They hid the peptide weapon in the folds of the DNA nanostructure, which remains inactive in the body’s normal environment but becomes activated in the acidic microenvironment typical of tumors.

“We managed to hide the weapon in such a way that it could only be exposed in the environment in and around a solid tumor,” says Högberg.

How nanorobots work against cancer cells

The acidic environment surrounding the cancer cells, with a pH of around 6.5, triggers the nanorobot’s weapon. Under normal conditions, where the pH is 7.4, the nanostructure remains closed and inactive.

This selective activation ensures that the weapon only targets cancer cells, sparing healthy tissue.

In laboratory tests, the researchers demonstrated that the nanorobots remained inactive at pH 7.4 but exhibited a powerful cell-killing effect when the pH dropped to 6.5.

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Promising results in mice

The research team conducted experiments by injecting these nanorobots into mice with breast cancer tumors. The results were significant: a 70% reduction in tumor growth was observed compared to mice that received an inactive version of the nanorobot.

“We now need to study whether this works in more advanced cancer models that more closely resemble the real human disease,” says Yang Wang, first author of the study and researcher at Karolinska Institutet.

Is human testing possible?

While these early results are promising, more research is needed before this technology can be tested in humans. The researchers plan to explore whether the nanorobots can be made even more targeted by attaching proteins or peptides that bind specifically to certain types of cancer.

They will also assess potential side effects and test the technology in more complex cancer models to determine its effectiveness and safety in conditions that more closely resemble human cancers.

The study presents a new approach to cancer treatment, using a smart, pH-sensitive nanodevice to selectively kill cancer cells by clustering death receptors only in the acidic environment of tumors.

This method shows promise for reducing side effects and effectively treating tumors. With further research and development, this origami-inspired nanorobot technology could become a powerful tool in the fight against cancer.

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