Scientists of the Krasnoyarsk Federal Scientific Research Center, Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, the Nuclear Medicine Center of Russia, the Siberian Federal University and the University of Ottawa (Canada) have developed a method for targeted destruction of cancer cells with the help of gold nanoparticles and thermal effects. Therapeutic nanoparticles are delivered to the tumor by means of special molecules. Under the influence of laser irradiation, the particles heat up and destroy the malignant tissue of the tumor, leaving healthy tissues intact. The method is suitable for cases where surgical removal of the tumor is a difficult task. The results of the study are published in the Molecular Therapy journal.

In recent years, non-standard tools based on nanotechnology have been developed to address the problems associated with cancer therapy. The positive outcome of the new approaches is due to the combination of biological and physical methods. Biological molecules provide targeted delivery of active substances to infected cells, where they are destroyed by various physical effects. For targeted delivery, aptamers are usually used - these "guide molecules" are artificial single-stranded DNA or RNA sequences. Due to their structure, these can specifically bind to the desired cells.

In experiments with laboratory animals, Krasnoyarsk scientists established that gold nanoparticles can be used to kill cancer cells. The point is that under laser irradiation, such particles are heated. If you deliver nanoparticles to a cancer cell and then act on them with green light, they absorb radiation, which causes local heating of tissue and destruction of malignant cells. To remove the malignant cells of Ehrlich carcinoma in laboratory mice, scientists injected nanoparticles with aptamers into the animal's body, and then heated them with laser light. The processing time was no longer than 5 minutes. Due to the hyperthermia (overheating) cancer cells were destroyed.

To confirm the effectiveness of tumor elimination in the Nuclear Medicine Center of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency, scientists used positron emission tomography and computed tomography with analysis of cancerous tissue. The results of such diagnostics make it possible to distinguish a benign tumor from a malignant one with high reliability.

According to the head of the Biomolecular and Medical Technologies Laboratory of Krasnoyarsk Medical University, Prof. Anna Kichkailo, in order to achieve results, experts in several fields - physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, mathematics and engineering - had to unite their efforts. The scientists established the mechanisms of thermal effect, compiled theoretical substantiations and showed in animals the possibility of applying the method of treatment in vivo, and not only in cell cultures.

The study was supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation. Now the team of scientists is conducting research on the development of particles for deeper treatment of tumors.