Researchers at Oregon State University have reported a promising experimental approach for glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer, according to ScienceDaily. In their mouse study, the treatment increased median survival time by 50%.
The team, led by Oleh Taratula, Olena Taratula and Yoon Tae Goo of the OSU College of Pharmacy, said the strategy was built to address two major barriers in brain cancer treatment: getting past the blood-brain barrier and reaching tumor cells without harming healthy tissue.
To do that, the researchers used lipid nanoparticles carrying messenger RNA meant to restore the body’s ability to suppress tumor growth. They then added a mannose coating, a sugar related to glucose, to help the particles enter the brain and build up in tumors.
According to the study, published in the Journal of Controlled Release, the coated nanoparticles used the GLUT1 transporter to cross the blood-brain barrier. The particles also concentrated more heavily in glioblastoma tissue because those tumors produce higher levels of GLUT1 than normal brain tissue.
The researchers said repeated dosing led to tumor shrinkage without measurable organ toxicity in the mice. The work was supported by the National Cancer Institute, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the National Research Foundation of Korea.
