Credit: Larry Ostby
A new formulation of the chemotherapy drug cisplatin can significantly increase the drug’s ability to target and destroy cancer cells, a new study suggests.
Scientists constructed a modified version of cisplatin called Platin-M, which is designed to overcome treatment resistance by attacking mitochondria within cancer cells.
“You can think of mitochondria as a kind of powerhouse for the cell, generating the energy it needs to grow and reproduce,” said Shanta Dhar, PhD, of the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia.
“This prodrug delivers cisplatin directly to the mitochondria in cancerous cells. Without that essential powerhouse, the cell cannot survive.”
Dr Dhar and her colleagues described the creation of this prodrug in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Sean Marrache, a graduate student in Dr Dhar’s lab, entrapped Platin-M in a specially designed nanoparticle that seeks out the mitochondria and releases the drug. Once inside, Platin-M interferes with the mitochondria’s DNA, triggering cell death.
The researchers tested Platin-M on neuroblastoma cells. In experiments using a cisplatin-resistant cell culture, Platin-M nanoparticles were roughly 17 times more active than cisplatin alone.
“This technique could become a treatment for a number of cancers, but it may prove most useful for more aggressive forms of cancer that are resistant to current therapies,” said Rakesh Pathak, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in Dr Dhar’s lab.
However, the researchers cautioned that these results are preliminary, and more work is necessary before Platin-M enters clinical trials. Still, their early results in mouse models are encouraging, and they are currently developing safety trials in larger animals.
“Cisplatin is a well-studied chemotherapy, so we hope our unique formulation will enhance its efficacy,” Dr Dhar said. “We are excited about these early results, which look very promising.”
