With some tinkering, a deadly protein becomes an efficient carrier for antibody drugs. In a paper appearing in the journal ChemBioChem, Pentelute and colleagues showed that they could use this disarmed version of the anthrax toxin to deliver two proteins known as antibody mimics, which can kill cancer cells by disrupting specific proteins inside the cells. This is the first demonstration of effective delivery of antibody mimics into cells, which could allow researchers to develop new drugs for cancer and many other diseases, says Pentelute, the senior author of the paper.
http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2014/cancer-drug-delivery-by-anthrax-0925
[Abstract]: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cbic.201402290/abstract;jsessionid=32ED743FFB7BFD9BD62AC19C29E36F94.f02t02
[Paper PDF]: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cbic.201402290/pdf
(Score: 3, Interesting) by SlimmPickens on Thursday September 25 2014, @11:03PM
Anthrax spores can survive basically any standard food sterilization process. The live anthrax is pretty hardy too.
http://www.mda.state.mn.us/food/safety/anthrax-effects.aspx [state.mn.us]
(Score: 4, Funny) by Snotnose on Thursday September 25 2014, @11:34PM
I knew he was awesome, but delivering cancer drugs? 2 words: suh weet.
When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Joe on Friday September 26 2014, @12:23AM
I would disagree with the statement about this being the "first demonstration of effective delivery" of antibodies, but "effective delivery" is a matter of opinion. Also, comparing their delivery complex (that is much larger) to TAT-derived CPPs (first generation CPP ~ 20-30 years old) fused to the antibody is a bit like a teenager beating-up on an elementary school kid.
In its current form, it would be very limited in its usefulness as a delivery agent for cancer. The Protective Antigen (PA)/N-terminal-Lethal Factor (nLF) delivery system uses receptor-mediated endocytosis through the Anthrax toxin receptors (ANTXRs), which are not needed for cancer survival and would be quickly lost/mutated. Additionally, ANTXRs are present on normal tissue as well so the delivery system would not be cancer-specific.
All that being said, I appreciate the effort and will look forward to more work on this system. Far too many in the small-molecule/protein/nucleic acid delivery field are satisfied with most of their cargo being stuck in endosomes and very little leaking into the cytosol.
- Joe
(Score: 1) by Zappy on Friday September 26 2014, @06:07PM
What can possibly go wrong?