Multiple attack on ovarian cancer
Ovarian carcinoma constitutes a leading cause of death among women. Initial symptoms are hard to distinguish, hampering prompt diagnosis of the disease. Treatment options include surgery followed by chemotherapy to treat any residual disease. However, given the invasive nature of these approaches, alternative and more specific strategies are urgently required. The EU-funded 'Magnetic nanocontainers for combined hyperthermia and controlled drug release' (MAGNIFYCO) project proposed to combine heat therapy with chemotherapy to treat ovarian cancer. More specifically, the MAGNIFYCO consortium aimed to generate novel multifunctional nanostructures loaded with chemotherapy drugs and iron oxide nanoparticles capable of generating heat. These magnetic nanoparticles were guided within the body and localised onto the tumour through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The nanostructures were finally functionalised with antibody fragments (Fabs) on their surface in order to allow selective delivery of the structure to cancer cells overexpressing the folate receptor alpha (FRa). Partners explored a variety of different nanocontainers in the form of tobacco mosaic virus nanotubes, biological vesicles, solid lipid nanoparticles or self-assembled peptides. The goal was to ensure protection of the drug from enzymatic degradation, but at the same time make sure it was sensitive to external stimuli, such as heat and pH change, in order to induce release of chemotherapeutic drugs. Using ovarian cancer as a model, partners selected the drugs currently being used for treatment. Various inorganic nanoparticles were tested for their ability to become magnetically functionalised with one of the breakthroughs being the coating of virus particles with iron crystals. Overall, the combinatorial nature of the MAGNIFYCO approach promises a more effective therapeutic outcome than either method used on its own.
