and proline. This cage is able to transport drugs to targeted sites within the body, delivering them only when and where they are needed. The proline-based cage can also be used to repair important enzymes that are damaged during chemotherapy, which can help reduce the negative side effects of treatment.
The use of proline as a drug delivery method is innovative and has the potential to significantly improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy while reducing its negative impact on the patient’s body. The research is still in its early stages, but it shows promise for the future of cancer treatment and drug delivery mechanisms.
The building blocks of proteins are used to create cages that can hold drugs of various sizes and deliver them with great precision in the body. Chemotherapy often causes negative side effects like hair loss and nerve damage because it kills healthy cells around tumors along with the tumor itself. By using a nano-sized cage to encapsulate and transport the drug directly to the tumor before releasing it, the harmful effects on healthy cells can be minimized. These cages can be adjusted to different sizes to accommodate different amounts of drugs, offering flexibility in treatment options.This structure has the potential to deliver chemotherapy drugs, antibiotics, and antivirals. In the past, similar cages could only be made using hydrocarbon molecules from tar, which can be harmful to humans.
Researchers believe that this structure also allows for faulty enzymes to be replaced in the body, which was not possible before. Previously, drugs could only block the activity of enzymes, which are made of proteins and play important roles in the body. Blocking their function could have effects such as reducing inflammation. Now, the cages can potentially deliver drugs directly to the enzymes.This function might be able to pave the way for a novel form of treatment. Dr. Charlie McTernan, the lead author and Lecturer in Chemistry at King’s College London and Group Leader at the Francis Crick Institute, explained that they have essentially created a molecular teabag that is compatible with biological systems. This teabag, or cage, is made from proline and collagen, which are widely available. It can be filled with various medications and delivered in a more targeted manner than previously possible. The hope is that this could potentially reduce the unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy, such as hair loss and nausea.
Enzymes that play a role in cancer development can be repaired, and this can be done sustainably and on a large scale,” says the researcher.
Proline’s straight and rigid shape, along with its solubility in water, makes it an ideal candidate for drug delivery, as water makes up about 60% of the human body. By attaching the peptide to small amounts of metal like palladium, the scientists were able to create a structure that they could easily adjust in size.
Because proline and collagen are readily available and do not depend on hydrocarbon chains like previous methods, the team hopes to sustainably scale up their work.
The team is now focused on scaling up their current production in the lab.
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