The following is a summary of a story that originally appeared on Pratt School of Engineering .
Cancer drugs often face a simple problem: They are too big to enter the cells they need to treat. A new approach from Duke engineers could change that by using commercially available microscopic bubbles and ultrasound to deliver therapies directly into tumors and trigger cancer cells to self-destruct.
The method, called SonoPIN, begins by sending tiny bubbles of gas, enveloped by a fatty layer, to cancer cells. These bubbles are covered with components that recognize and bind to tumor cell walls. When hit with ultrasound, the bubbles collapse and create brief openings that let drugs get inside.
"This process is less like an explosion and more like a temporary, controlled mechanical opening," said Tony Jun Huang , professor of mechanical engineering and materials science at Duke University Pratt School of Engineering .
The approach is especially promising for a class of therapies known as PROTACs, which are designed to facilitate the destruction of specific proteins - in this case, a protein that helps cancer cells quickly multiply and form tumors.
"PROTAC molecules are too big to get into cells in the first place," said Yuqi Wu, a doctoral student working in Huang's laboratory. "But with our SonoPIN platform, they can enter targeted cancer cells while almost completely ignoring non-targeted cells."
In these federally funded experiments, the technique caused about 50 percent of targeted cancer cells to die while keeping 99 percent of non-targeted cells intact. The results suggest a more precise way to deliver certain treatments with fewer side effects.
Getting large molecules into a cell is a challenge beyond delivering cancer therapies. Researchers believe SonoPIN could also be used to deliver gene editing tools and other advanced treatments.
The team plans to test the technology in animal models next and has already filed a patent application. If successful, the approach could lead to more targeted therapies for cancers that currently are difficult to treat with existing tools.
Learn more about how federally funded Duke Research Saves Lives in the full story on Pratt School of Engineering .
