Nano polymer shows promise for cancer side effects help to reduce

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Purdue University biochemist showed a process with the help of nanotechnology better assess whether cancer drugs hit their targets, the drug can reduce side effects.

W. Andy Tao, Professor of Biochemistry, analytical chemistry, developed type a Nano polymer that can be coated with drugs, cells and then removed, to determine what proteins in the cells has entered the drug. Because they are soluble in water, Tao believes that the Nano polymer can be a better system for the supply of drugs, which effectively dissolve in water to do.

"Many cancer drugs are not very specific." "You many different target proteins", said Tao, whose knowledge of which were published during the early online in the journal Agnewandte Chemie International Edition. "Can have a result - we call side effects."

In addition to the drug, which is synthetic Nano polymer equipped with a chemical group, provides reactive to small beads. The beads get attached Nano polymer and all proteins after the drug has done its job. Tao is mass spectrometry is used to determine, what proteins are available and have been taken by the drug in the line of fire.

To know which proteins would set allow drug, whether developers to test new drugs target only proteins or others also desired. Elimination of unintended protein could reduce the serious side effects associated with anti-cancer objectives.

Tao said there is currently no reliable way to test drugs for off-targeting. He said drugs are often inhibit or activate the function of a relationship developed with cancer biomolecule, but these drugs are usually in the late-stage clinical trials fail.

Tao also believes that its Nano polymer can better deliver drugs to their destinations. Because they are soluble nano-scale and water, the Nano polymer could access more effective than a standalone drug cells, which is minimally soluble in water.

Skills with human cancer cells and the cancer drug methotrexate showed the Nano polymer Tao. The Nano polymer were with a fluorescent dye to show that they were the cells input tracks. Then, Tao broke the cells and the Nano polymer obtained.

Tao has shown the Nano polymer ability with a metabolic drug, which are small, low-cost drugs but are less specific objective and have more side effects. He now plans to run the same with drugs, which are based on synthetic peptides, the larger and more expensive but more specific and with fewer side-effects.

The national institutes of Health National Center for research resources and a National Science Foundation career grant funded the research.

Source:
Brian Wallheimer
Purdue University