Nature Communications
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NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
[1] Cancer research: Algae turned into cancer-targeting
nanoparticles *IMAGE*
Diatom algae — tiny, unicellular, photosynthesizing algae with a skeleton made of silica
— can be used as therapeutic nanoparticles, reports a study in Nature Communications
this week.
Anti-cancer chemotherapeutic drugs are often toxic to normal tissues. To minimize the
off-target toxicity, the drugs can be hidden inside the antibody-coated nanoparticles. The
antibody binds only to molecules found on cancer cells, thus delivering the toxic drug
specifically to the target cells. However, the production of such nanoparticles is costly.
Nanoparticle-sized (4-6 micrometres in diameter) diatom algae are naturally enclosed in
a porous shell made of silica. In this paper, Nicolas Voelcker and colleagues genetically
engineer the algae to produce an antibody-binding protein on the surface of their shells.
They then allow the shells to bind to cancer-specific antibodies and also to absorb
anticancer drugs. When added to cultured human cells, the newly-created diatom
nanoparticles kill 90% of cancer cells, while sparing normal cells. Injecting the
nanoparticles into four tumour-bearing mice caused tumour regression.
The algae, which require mostly water and light to grow, can reduce the cost and
associated toxic waste of therapeutic nanoparticle manufacturing, raising hopes for more
affordable treatments.
ARTICLE DETAILS
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9791
Corresponding Author:
Nicolas Voelcker
University of South Australia , Australia
Email: Nico.Voelcker@unisa.edu.au Tel: +61 883 025 508
Please link to the article in online versions of your report (the URL will go live after the embargo ends):
http://nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/ncomms9791
Image 1
Caption: The principle of action of the genetically engineered biosilica therapeutic nanoparticles. Genetically
engineered diatom biosilica (green) containing liposome-encapsulated drug molecules (yellow) can be targeted to
lymphocyte cells in suspension (purple) by functionalizing the biosilica surface with cell specific antibodies.
Liposome-encapsulated drug molecules are released from the biosilica carrier in the immediate vicinity of the
target cells (inset). Credit: Mr. Marc Cirera.