Mr. Ivan Zlotver - PhD candidate
7.3.2024
אודיטוריום ע"ש דויד וואנג, בניין מידן, קומה 3
14:30
Our study aims to investigate the efficacy of actively targeted sonodynamic therapy using a new family of hybrid nanomaterials made of amorphous titanium dioxide (aTiO2) and poly(ethylene)-b-poly(propylene) block copolymers (PEO-PPO) in treating tumors overexpressing glucose transporters. Sono-dynamic therapy (SDT) is a promising approach that utilizes ultrasound to activate sonosensitive nanomaterials, generating reactive oxygen species within the tumor microenvironment and inducing cancer cell death. We synthesized nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 30 to 300 nm and modified their surface with glucose moieties for active targeting. In 2D and 3D cell cultures and a murine model of rhabdomyosarcoma, our glucosylated hybrid nanoparticles exhibited significantly higher cellular uptake and sonodynamic efficacy compared to unmodified nanoparticles. Fine-tuning the size and surface features of the nanoparticles led to a tenfold increase in tumor accumulation compared to off-target organs, such as the liver, in murine models. Finally, our treatment of rhabdomyosarcoma-bearing mice with 50-nm glucosylated nanoparticles resulted in a dramatic increase in animal survival and a remarkable decrease in tumor volume by 100 times compared to treatment with only ultrasound or nanoparticles. Overall, our findings confirm the therapeutic potential of this SDT platform and pave the way for the development of combination therapies.