Immune System Activation using a dual platform combining Magnetic Hyperthermia and cell membrane-based Nanovesicles

• Grant number: 23/16953-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: May 01, 2024
• End date: April 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Principal Investigator: Valtencir Zucolotto
• Grantee: Maria Julia Bistaffa
• Supervisor: Manuel Bañobre-Lopez
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), Portugal
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/01434-3 - Biomimetic nanoparticles coated with cell membranes as an innovative strategy in lung cancer therapy, BP.DR

Abstract

Cancer is responsible for six million deaths annually. Despite the widespread use of chemotherapy to control neoplastic growth, numerous challenges such as lack of specificity, adverse effects, and resistance due to tumor heterogeneity are encountered. Doxorubicin (DOX) is a widely used anticancer drug to treat various cancer types. However, they are associated with limitations such as non-specificity, drug resistance, and side-effects such as cardiotoxicity and myelotoxicity. Targeted combined approaches to treat malignant and metastatic cancers have been proved to be excellent strategies. In this project, we investigate the synergistic effect of magnetic hyperthermia combined with chemotherapy on inducing immunogenic cell death (ICD) using a biomimetic platform. Biomimetic systems are known to provide superior targeting efficiency as they preserve the intricacies of the cell target through the inclusion of lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins, mimicking the properties of their original cell. The nanoparticle system consisting of magnetic nanoparticles loaded with DOX, and further coated with cancer cell membrane (CCM) will foster homotypic targeting and synergistic treatment. This strategy will not only enhance the drug delivery precision but also exploit dual strategies to induce ICD, thereby triggering an immune response against cancer cells. Integration of combined strategies represents a cutting-edge strategy in cancer treatment, aligning with the intricacies of the disease and paving the way for more targeted and effective therapeutic interventions.