Gold nanospheres kill cancer
A group of researchers from the UC Santa Cruz, led by Li Chun, have developed a nanosphere which is able to kill cancer, thus significantly improving tumor treatment and moving it another step forward.
Scientists have found that tiny shells made of pure gold can cling to cancer cells and “cook” them when heated. This method is still in development phase, and far from human use. However, tests on animals were very successful, and that’s promising.
The nanospheres are 50 nanometers in diameter. They were actually developed by Jin Zhang. When he developed them, he didn’t expect the spheres to have medical value. But after seeing Chun speak about using nanoparticles to treat cancer at a conference, he changed his mind.
“This is the ideal structure for this purpose,” Zhang said.
To make these spheres into structures which can kill cancer, scientists attached a short chain of molecules designed to bind to tumor cells. Then, they injected the nanospheres into cancerous mice. The molecule on the spheres snapped into receptors on the tumor cells like a key in a lock. The researchers then shone infrared light on the tumor, heating the gold and frying the cancer cells. Because the hollow nanospheres absorb infrared light so efficiently, the targeted treatment helps keep healthy tissue safe, the scientists said.
The group of scientists said that they plan to do more research on this matter, because it’s necessary in order to expand the use of this to humans.
Source: santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_11656076
