Researchers at Oregon Well being & Science College have developed a brand new sort of nanoparticle designed to enhance the effectiveness and security of ultrasound-based most cancers therapies, whereas additionally serving to to forestall tumor recurrence.
The research explores methods to make high-intensity targeted ultrasound (HIFU) much less dangerous to wholesome tissue.
Oregon Well being & Science College was the primary establishment in Oregon to supply prostate most cancers remedy utilizing a robotic-assisted HIFU system. Researchers on the OHSU Knight Most cancers Institute’s Most cancers Early Detection Superior Analysis Heart (CEDAR) got down to develop a focused type of ultrasound referred to as mechanical tumor ablation.
This system makes use of vitality to destroy stable tumors with out surgical procedure. Nevertheless, it faces two essential challenges: it sometimes requires excessive vitality ranges, which might produce warmth and harm surrounding wholesome tissue, and even when tumors are damaged aside, some most cancers cells might survive and trigger the most cancers to return.
On this research, we developed a tiny particle a few thousand occasions smaller than the width of a sheet of paper that helps deal with most cancers extra successfully. These nanoparticles are engineered with small bubbles on their floor. When focused with targeted ultrasound, the bubbles pop and launch vitality that helps destroy tumors extra exactly. The particles are additionally coated with a particular molecule known as a peptide, which helps them follow tumors and enter most cancers cells extra simply.
Michael Henderson, Research Co-Lead Writer, Oregon Well being & Science College
To boost the remedy’s effectiveness, the researchers connected a potent chemotherapy drug to a peptide on the nanoparticle’s floor. Li Xiang, Ph.D., a postdoctoral scholar at CEDAR and co-lead creator of the research, described the method as a “one-two punch.”
The ultrasound bodily destroys the tumor, and the drug helps remove any leftover most cancers cells that may trigger the tumor to return.
Li Xiang, Ph.D., Research Co-Lead Writer and Postdoctoral Scholar, CEDAR
In preclinical fashions of human melanoma, the mix remedy led to more practical drug supply and deeper tumor destruction in comparison with both therapy alone.
Henderson added, “Our nanoparticles cut back the vitality wanted for ultrasound therapy by as much as 100-fold. This permits us to make use of quick ultrasound pulses to disrupt tumors mechanically, with out overheating surrounding tissue.”
When examined in mice bearing human melanoma tumors, the mixed method—ultrasound plus drug-loaded nanoparticles—achieved considerably higher outcomes than both methodology by itself. In some circumstances, tumors disappeared fully, and total survival elevated by greater than 60 days with out critical unintended effects.
The platform can also be relevant to different circumstances, together with infections and heart problems, the place combining mechanical and drug-based therapies might provide extra advantages.
What started in 2018 as analysis into nanoparticle-assisted tumor ablation has advanced right into a multifunctional platform enabled by easy mixing. We are actually excited to convey this into immunotherapy. By combining targeted ultrasound with good drug supply, we’re seeing a promising new technique to battle most cancers extra successfully and cut back the prospect of it coming again.
Adem Yildirim, Research Senior Writer and Assistant Professor, Oregon Well being & Science College
Henderson added that future mixtures, comparable to ultrasound with immunotherapy, might finally obtain greater than both method alone.
Deep Background at OHSU
Henderson remains to be early in his profession, however already has a long-standing connection to OHSU.
Born at OHSU Hospital in 1998 and raised by an OHSU-trained doctor, he’s presently pursuing a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering and is a member of the Most cancers Early Detection Superior Analysis (CEDAR) heart.
After incomes a bachelor’s diploma from Carroll School in Montana and dealing on the OHSU/Oregon State College School of Pharmacy underneath Gaurav Sahay, Ph.D., Henderson has returned to OHSU—what he calls “dwelling.”
Now conducting analysis underneath Stuart Ibsen, Ph.D., and Muhammad Yildirim, Ph.D., he hopes to change into a physician-scientist, making use of his lab discoveries to scientific care. His work focuses on enhancing liquid biopsy methods and bettering immunotherapy efficacy via protein blockers and noninvasive, responsive nanomaterials.
The brand new research marks an essential early achievement.
“Whereas this work remains to be within the early phases, it lays the muse for a brand new type of nanoparticle-based remedy that would enhance how we method hard-to-treat tumors,” he stated.
Along with Henderson, Xiang, and Yildirim, co-authors on the research embrace Jared Fischer, Ph.D., Sinan Sabuncu, Ph.D., and Samuel Drennan, B.A.
The analysis was supported by funding from the OHSU Knight Most cancers Institute’s CEDAR heart.
Journal Reference:
Xiang, L., et al. (2025) Peptide Amphiphile–Nanoparticle Assemblies for Mechano-Chemo Mixture Remedy. Nano Letters. doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c01112.
