A nanorrobot 300 nanometers in diameter has been able to target cells of Cancer from bladder, focus on them and curb their proliferation in experiments carried out by
Samuel Sanchez
, researcher Icrea in the Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya (IBEC). The device can be useful to improve both the diagnosis and treatment of bladder cancer, which, with about 15,000 new cases annually, is the fifth most frequent in Spain. The same concept could be applied in the future to other types of cancer.
“We work with nanorrobots that are propelled with the enzyme urease,” explains Sánchez. Urease reacts chemically with urea and releases an energy that sets the particle in motion. Unlike other enzymes used in nanorrobots, urease has the advantage that the human body tolerates it, which allows it to be used for medical purposes.
Samuel Sánchez, Icrea researcher at the Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya (IBEC). direct the project
(Kim Manresa)
After having two cases of bladder cancer in his immediate environment, and seeing how this type of tumor reduces the quality of life of patients, Sánchez reasoned that the bladder is an ideal organ for nanorrobots, since it has a high concentration of urea. The blood also contains a sufficient amount of urea so that the nanorrobots circulate and can reach tumors located in other organs, although the concentration is higher in the bladder.
Sánchez partnered with researchers at the CIC BiomaGUNE center in San Sebastián and equipped his nanorrobots with antibodies that recognize cancer cells.
After introducing them into the bladder through the urethra, the nanorrobots move in all directions within the organ until they find a tumor cell and attach to it. They emit a signal that can be detected from outside the body with an imaging technique, which reveals if there are tumor cells and where they are without the need for a biopsy. They also allow you to see if the tumor shrinks or continues to grow after starting treatment. If a drug is also added to the nanorrobot, it will be possible to direct it directly to the tumor cells and thus avoid unwanted effects on healthy cells.
For now the experiments have been carried out with cell cultures and in rodents. In the future, Sanchez plans to collaborate with hospitals with the goal that nanorrobot improves the care of people with bladder cancer.
This research project is part of the ‘Questions for the Future’ program by ‘la Caixa’, an entity that supports Big Vang
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