Scientists from Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) have presented revolutionary results on the use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in radiation therapy. In a study supported by the Russian Science Foundation, experts proved that AgNPs increase the sensitivity of cancer cells to neutron radiation, while reducing the risk of side effects. Experiments were conducted on cell cultures of five types of cancer: breast cancer, ovarian cancer, T-lymphoblastic leukemia, glioblastoma, and epidermoid skin carcinoma.
Radiation therapy has high biological efficacy, but its use is limited due to damage to healthy tissues. Silver nanoparticles act as radiosensitizers, concentrating in the tumor and enhancing the effect specifically on cancer cells, explained Alexey Pestryakov, Professor at the Research School of Chemical and Biomedical Technologies at TPU. The radiosensitivity enhancement coefficient reached 2.32, which is especially significant for glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor resistant to standard treatments.
For the first time, on a series of five cancer cell lines, including glioblastoma, it was revealed that silver nanoparticles can sensitize cancer cells to the effects of neutron radiation. The radiosensitivity enhancement coefficient was 1.02 - 2.32. Moreover, for glioblastoma, this figure reached 1.22 - 1.47. This is especially important due to the limited effectiveness of modern therapeutic methods for its treatment.
The key tool was the drug "Argovit-C AgNP", developed earlier by TPU scientists. Its uniqueness lies in its ability to modify the surface of nanoparticles, which improves their interaction with biological targets. Previously, AgNPs have been used for targeted destruction of cancer cells, but their combination with neutron radiation has been studied for the first time. The results of the study are published in the journal Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine (Q2, IF: 4.2)
Comparing AgNPs with other radiosensitizers, TPU scientists emphasize their low toxicity and versatility. For example, in a 2022 study published in the Journal of Nanobiotechnology, an international group from China and Germany demonstrated that silver nanoparticles enhance the radiosensitivity of lung cancer cells during gamma irradiation. However, the TPU approach, combining AgNPs with neutron radiation, is unique and particularly promising for the treatment of radioresistant tumors, such as glioblastoma.
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