How to kill lymphoma cancer cells without chemotherapy
January 23, 2013
Transmission electron micrographs of HDL-mimicking nanoparticles in lymphoma cells 24 hours after treatment (credit: Shuo Yanga et al./PNAS)
Northwestern Medicine researchers have developed a nanoparticle that attacks a cancerous lymphoma cell by mimicking HDL.(high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, an essential nutrient for the cell.
The nanoparticle tricks the cell by blocking cholesterol from entering the cell. Deprived of an essential nutrient, the cell eventually dies.
The new study by C. Shad Thaxton, M.D., and Leo I. Gordon, M.D. shows that these synthetic HDL nanoparticles killed B-cell lymphoma, the most common form of the disease, in cultured human cells, and inhibited human B-cell lymphoma tumor growth in mice.
“This has the potential to eventually become a nontoxic treatment for B-cell lymphoma which does not involve chemotherapy,” said Gordon. “It’s an exciting preliminary finding.”
Recent studies have shown that B-cell lymphoma is dependent on the uptake of natural HDL, from which it derives fat content, such as cholesterol.
One-two punch
The nanoparticle closely mimics the size, shape and surface chemistry of natural HDL particles. But it has one key difference: a five nanometer gold particle at its core.
When the nanoparticle is incubated with human B-cell lymphoma cells or used to treat a mouse with the human tumor, the gold particle’s spongy surface sucks out its cholesterol. Meanwhile, the gold core prevents the cell from absorbing more cholesterol typically carried in the core of natural HDL particles.
The National Cancer Institutes reports that in 2012 there were about 70,000 new cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the U.S. with nearly 19,000 deaths. About 90 percent of those new cases were B-cell lymphoma. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer that starts in cells called lymphocytes, which are part of the body’s immune system.
Gordon is a professor of medicine in hematology/oncology and Thaxton is an assistant professor of urology, both at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
Gordon also is co-director of the hematologic malignancy program at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University and a physician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Thaxton is also a member of the Lurie Cancer Center.
The research was supported by The Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Schwartz Foundation. Thaxton is a co-founder of AuraSense, LLC a start-up biotech company that holds the license to the HDL nanoparticles used in the study.
Comments (6)
by Right Reverend Gregory Karl Davis
Yes, big Pharma and the chase for lucre drives our health treatment options. Witness the fact here in Georgia is that a Program to research the use of phytocannbinoid therapy in treatment of cancers has been required by law here since 1980, yet still lies dormant for lack of funding while 50 million has been budgeted for synthetic research by the State.
The latest medical science reports confirm the efficacy of treatments in a plethora of ischemic conditions including cancers with phtocannabinoid therapy with simply juicing the raw cannabis flowers and from extracts from the dried flowers and still the ignorance continues. “What causes that,” the church lady used to ask the Saturday Night Live crowd that would howl in laughter to the rhetorical question was answered by, “could it be Satan?” https://www.facebook.com/notes/gregory-karl-davis/naturally-derived-dronabinol-cannabis-extract-improved-by-cbds-cannabidiol-addit/492652777422023
by Amit
I know I keep repeating myself, but…
A patent will be issued on this, and it will then be denied to 90% of the people who need it and can’t afford it. Among those who do get access to it, most will be those who have access to free healthcare in developed countries. So the options are between denying it to the poor, or have the taxpayer subsidize big pharma’s quest for profits. Talk about a rock and a hard place.
by Joel C.
There are always ways around patents. One only has to read what the patent says about the process of treating this cancer/disease and figure out a a different way of doing it so it won’t violate the patent. It’s done all the time.
by Jacob L
What you say Amit is true enough however one key difference is that: A single-source buyer for an entire population (ie state-healthcare provider) has far more leverage with big pharma than does any single patient.
My jurisdiction of Québec regularly uses this clout to negotiate favourable drug prices for it’s health system.
by Amit
Yes, Jacob. I was reading about how Canada uses its leverage to get good deals on drug prices, sometimes blocking drugs until companies fall in line. That is a commendable approach, and shows that the government is atleast concerned about the health of its average citizen. More than can be said about your so-called superpower neighbors to the south.
by jlr
You mean superpower via its delusion of exceptionalism. Organized crime sydicate with WMDs is more appropriate.