Swarms of Bacteria Deliver Cancer Drug Directly to Tumors
 

Swarms of Bacteria Deliver Cancer Drug Directly to Tumors
[IMG]http://www.medgadget.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/flaggelated-bacteria-na**robots.jpg[/IMG]

Scientists at*Polytechnique Montréal, Université de Montréal, and McGill University have tinkered with*flagellated bacteria, to deliver ***** to tumors. Swarms of these bacteria (Magnetococcus marinus), each having*an iron-oxide crystal*that can be pulled at with a magnet, and liposome vesicles attached to them that carry an anti-cancer drug, were injected into mice with colorectal cancer.

Each of the bacterial cells had about 70 of the liposomes stuck to its body. Unlike previously designed na**particles that deliver cancer *****, the carriers were a lot more successfull at reaching the final destination.

In the study, published in*Nature Na**tech**logy, the researchers showed that 55% of the bacteria reached the low-oxygen regions of tumors that are typically hard to penetrate.

The bacteria are directed toward a tumor thanks to external computer controlled magnets, and when the carriers recognize the low-oxygen environment, they tend to want to stay put.

“This in**vative use of na**transporters will have an impact **t only on creating more advanced engineering concepts and original intervention methods, but it also throws the door wide open to the synthesis of new vehicles for therapeutic, imaging and diag**stic agents,” Professor Sylvain Martel of*Polytechnique Montréal, said in a statement. “Chemotherapy, which is so toxic for the entire human body, could make use of these natural na**robots to move ***** directly to the targeted area, eliminating the harmful side effects while also boosting its therapeutic effectiveness.”

Study in Nature Na**tech**logy: Magneto-aerotactic bacteria deliver drug-containing na**liposomes to tumour hypoxic regions…

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