PLGA-PEG-Maleimide and mPEG-PLGA from PolySciTech used in development of nanoparticle chemotherapy for kidney cancer.

 

Delivery of medicine to renal cell carcinoma (RCC) (Kidney cancer) remains difficult as uptake to these cells is very poor. Recently, researchers at Harvard Medical School and University of California - Los Angeles used mPEG-PLGA (AK102) and PLGA-PEG-Mal (AI110) from PolySciTech (www.polyscitech.com) to create a nanoparticles decorated with light-chain antibody fragments to target Kidney cancer cells. This research holds promise for improved therapies against kidney cancers in the future. Read more: Ordikhani, Farideh, Vivek Kasinath, Mayuko Uehara, Aram Akbarzadeh, Osman A. Yilmam, Li Dai, Hamza Aksu et al. "Selective trafficking of light chain-conjugated nanoparticles to the kidney and renal cell carcinoma." Nano Today 35 (2020): 100990. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1748013220301596

“Highlights: Light chain-conjugated nanoparticles (LC-NPs) traffic selectively to proximal tubule epithelial cells (PTECs) in the kidney. Systemic administration of LC-NPs to mice resulted in their specific retention by megalin-expressing PTECs for seven days. Megalin expression by human renal cell carcinoma and its lymph node metastases reinforces the clinical potential of LC-NPs. Abstract: Specific delivery platforms for drugs to the kidney and diagnostic agents to renal cell carcinoma (RCC) constitute urgent but unfulfilled clinical needs. To address these challenges, we engineered nanocarriers that interact selectively for the first time with proximal tubule epithelial cells (PTECs) in the kidney and with RCC through the interplay between lambda light chains (LCs) attached to PEGylated polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles and the membrane protein megalin. Systemic administration of these light chain-conjugated nanoparticles (LC-NPs) to mice resulted in their specific retention by megalin-expressing PTECs for seven days. Repetitive dosing of LC-NPs demonstrated no renal toxicity. LC-NPs also localized selectively to megalin-expressing RCC tumors in mice. Moreover, we confirmed that both the primary tumor and lymph node metastases of human RCC express megalin, reinforcing the potential of LC-NPs for clinical use. Thus, LC-NPs can contribute potentially to improving the management of both non-oncologic and oncologic renal disorders. Keywords: Nanoparticles Light chain proteins Megalin Kidney Renal cell carcinoma.”