Gujarath, India (CU) _ Cancer is a major cause of mortality across the globe and is associated with a high economic cost and social stigma. The search for possible cancer treatment options to replace non-specific chemotherapeutic agents has recently resulted in the discovery of innovative approaches to treat cancer. RNA interference (RNAi), a gene silencing technique, is an encouraging tool for treating chronic diseases such as cancer in a targeted and focused manner. One of the primary barriers to using RNAi-based therapy in biological systems is a lack of safe and efficient delivery methods for RNAi molecules.
Dr. Lekha Dinesh Kumar and her team at CSIR-CCMB have formed nano-curcumin structures (derived from turmeric) in partnership with the Polymer Science and Engineering Division at CSIR-NCL to encapsulate RNAi (Ephb4 shRNA) and other molecules that help in tissue targeting. The suggested bio-drug is non-toxic, biocompatible, and has higher uptake efficiency. It also demonstrates effective site-specific delivery and tumor regression in two distinct mouse models of colon and breast cancer. The results of this study were published in the journal Nanoscale.
Dr. Kumar explained, “The use of curcumin, a well-known nutraceutical with high anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties with RNAi showed tumor retardation with six months survival in aggressive models of colon and breast cancer”.
They also developed an eco-friendly and pH-responsive dietary fiber inulin-based nano-device to target colon cancer in collaboration with the School of Nanosciences at Central University Gujarat and the Centre for Advanced Materials and Industrial Chemistry at RMIT Australia. This device implies the possibility of substituting natural compounds for synthetic ones in bio-drug formulations to improve biodegradability, tissue accumulation, and lesser toxicity. This research was published in the journal Nanomedicine.
Dr. Kumar summarized the study. He said, “In our studies, we have demonstrated that RNAi combined with appropriate targeting agents and encapsulations made of natural biomaterials have high translational capacity in mice models of cancer. This group of bio-drugs can revolutionize the field of cancer therapeutics in the future. It should be assessed in other cancer model systems to bring out the utility of these therapeutics in the clinical trials.”
