PLGA-NHS and PLGA-amine from PolySciTech used in development of theranostic nanoparticle for treatment of brain cancer

 

Brain cancer, especially glioblastoma, remains difficult to treat due to the sensitivity of the region of the body that it affects and difficulty with delivering medicinal molecules into the brain. Recently, researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine used PLGA-NH2 (AI062) and PLGA-NHS (AI116) from PolySciTech (www.polyscitech.com) to create CD133 targeted nanoparticles loaded both with chemotherapeutic agents (temozolomide and idasanutlin) along Zirconium radio-tracer to enable both treatment of and imaging of brain cancer. This research holds promise to improve therapies against this disease in the future. Read more: Smiley, Shelby B., Yeonhee Yun, Pranav Ayyagari, Harlan E. Shannon, Karen E. Pollok, Michael W. Vannier, Sudip K. Das, and Michael C. Veronesi. "Development of CD133 Targeting Multi-Drug Polymer Micellar Nanoparticles for Glioblastoma-In Vitro Evaluation in Glioblastoma Stem Cells." Pharmaceutical Research (2021): 1-13. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11095-021-03050-8

“Abstract: Purpose: Glioblastoma (GBM) is a malignant brain tumor with a poor long-term prognosis due to recurrence from highly resistant GBM cancer stem cells (CSCs), for which the current standard of treatment with temozolomide (TMZ) alone will unlikely produce a viable cure. In addition, CSCs regenerate rapidly and overexpress methyl transferase which overrides the DNA-alkylating mechanism of TMZ, leading to resistance. The objective of this research was to apply the concepts of nanotechnology to develop a multi-drug therapy, TMZ and idasanutlin (RG7388, a potent mouse double minute 2 (MDM2) antagonist), loaded in functionalized nanoparticles (NPs) that target the GBM CSC subpopulation, reduce the cell viability and provide possibility of in vivo preclinical imaging. Methods: Polymer-micellar NPs composed of poly(styrene-b-ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) were developed by a double emulsion technique loading TMZ and/or RG7388. The NPs were covalently bound to a 15-nucleotide base-pair CD133 aptamer to target the CD133 antigen expressed on the surfaces of GBM CSCs. For diagnostic functionality, the NPs were labelled with radiotracer Zirconium-89 (89Zr). Results: NPs maintained size range less than 100 nm, a low negative charge and exhibited the ability to target and kill the CSC subpopulation when TMZ and RG7388 were used in combination. The targeting function of CD133 aptamer promoted killing in GBM CSCs providing impetus for further development of targeted nanosystems for localized therapy in future in vivo models. Conclusions: This work has provided a potential clinical application for targeting GBM CSCs with simultaneous diagnostic imaging.”