Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 24, 2025

Polymalic Acid-based Nano Biopolymers for Targeting of Multiple Tumor Markers: An Opportunity for Personalized Medicine?
14:20

Polymalic Acid-based Nano Biopolymers for Targeting of Multiple Tumor Markers: An Opportunity for Personalized Medicine?

Published on: June 13, 2014

17.0K

Killing cancer cells using nanotechnology: novel poly(I:C) loaded liposome-silica hybrid nanoparticles

Valentina Colapicchioni1, Sara Palchetti, Daniela Pozzi

  • 1Center for Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Roma, Italy.

Journal of Materials Chemistry. B
|April 9, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Novel liposome-silica hybrid nanoparticles effectively deliver polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) to induce cancer cell death. These nanoparticles show enhanced efficacy compared to traditional liposomes for drug delivery applications.

Area of Science:

  • Biomaterials Science
  • Nanotechnology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)), a synthetic double-stranded RNA analog, activates immune pathways like TLR3 and RIG-I, inducing apoptosis in cancer cells.
  • Current drug delivery systems face challenges in efficiently targeting and eliminating cancer cells.
  • Developing advanced nanocarriers is crucial for effective in vitro and in vivo cancer therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To synthesize and characterize novel core-shell liposome-silica hybrid (LSH) nanoparticles for poly(I:C) delivery.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of LSH nanoparticles in inducing apoptosis in prostate (PC3) and breast (MCF7) cancer cells.
  • To compare the cancer cell-killing efficiency of LSH nanoparticles with conventional liposomes.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesis and characterization of LSH nanoparticles using dynamic light scattering (DLS), micro-electrophoresis, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
  • Loading of poly(I:C) into LSH nanoparticles and optimization of their physicochemical properties.
  • In vitro validation of cancer cell apoptosis induction using MTT proliferation assays, flow cytometry, and fluorescence confocal microscopy.

Main Results:

  • Successfully synthesized and characterized core-shell LSH nanoparticles, including a PEGylated variant for in vivo applications.
  • Poly(I:C)-loaded LSH nanoparticles demonstrated significant cancer cell death in PC3 and MCF7 cell lines.
  • Negatively charged poly(I:C)-loaded LSH nanoparticles exhibited superior cancer cell elimination compared to liposomes.

Conclusions:

  • Liposome-silica hybrid nanoparticles represent a promising platform for poly(I:C) delivery in cancer therapy.
  • The enhanced efficacy of LSH nanoparticles offers potential for improved in vitro and in vivo drug delivery applications.
  • This novel nanocarrier technology warrants further investigation for clinical translation in oncology.

More Related Videos

Anticancer Efficacy of Photodynamic Therapy with Lung Cancer-Targeted Nanoparticles08:03

Anticancer Efficacy of Photodynamic Therapy with Lung Cancer-Targeted Nanoparticles

Published on: December 1, 2016

9.4K
Preparation and Characterization of Lipophilic Doxorubicin Pro-drug Micelles09:56

Preparation and Characterization of Lipophilic Doxorubicin Pro-drug Micelles

Published on: August 2, 2016

15.4K

Related Concept Videos

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine02:50

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine

Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
5.8K
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
8.6K
Tumor Immunotherapy01:27

Tumor Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
1.7K