Swiss researchers find graphene nanoflakes as new tool for precision medicine
Usually, adrug is administered indiscriminately and most of it does not reach thediseased tissues. The goal of precision medicine is to increase the efficacy oftherapeutic substances by delivering them only to the proper target. Thisrequires a customized drug delivery system, Xinhua reports.
A team ofresearchers at the University of Zurich added different types of molecules tosingle nanoflakes to transform them into a customized system for drug delivery.The results are published in Chemical Science.
First,collaborators at University College London produced the graphene nanoflakesfrom carbon nanotubes. Then the Zurich team attached four molecules to singleflakes. They succeeded in attaching four kinds of molecules to single graphenenanoflakes to imbue them with specific capacities: transporting an anticancerdrug, delivering it only to certain cancerous cells, making it visible bymedical imaging and prolonging its stay in the bloodstream. The team testedeach functionality to verify that the new compound works as expected.
Theresearchers said that the graphene nanoflakes can be used as a scaffold ontowhich one can add customized components, a bit like Lego bricks. The techniquehelps first in diagnosing prostate cancer and then in ensuring that thecompound is delivered to the diseased tissues. Studies performed on cultures ofprostate cancer cells later showed that their division and growth were indeedhalted.
However,the team said their research is currently still fundamental, and much more workwill be needed to develop a new drug. The team is now experimenting with othercombinations involving antibodies instead of small peptides.