Christine Vauthier is Research Director at the Université de Paris Sud and has focused her research on the improvement of the transport of biologically active drugs across cells; more specifically on poly(cyanoacrylate)-based nanoparticles to be used for this purpose.
The two articles listed in our database are excellent reviews that summarize the preparation, effects and results of such nanoparticles to overcome multidrug resistance (MDR) phenomena.
The greatest problem associated with anticancer drugs is the lack of specificity (which leads to damage or healthy tissues and organs) and the fast breakdown of the drug, which thus requires higher dosage. Moreover tumour cells can specifically develop resistance to multiple lipophilic compounds making the drug in question practically inactive (MDR). The loading of anticancer drugs into poly(alkyl cyanoacrylate) (PACA) (usually poly isohexyl and isobutyl cyanoacrylate) nanoparticles not only can totally overcome the tumour cell resistance mechanism, but it can also improve the activity, specificity and circulation time of the drug. Vauthier describes that the nanoparticle adheres to the cell surface and is simultaneously degraded releasing the drug inside the cell. The degradation product and the drug form an ion pair which is what allows the drug to penetrate the cell, making poly(alkyl cyanoacrylate) particularly successful compared to other polymers.
The reviews also describe the incorporation of poly(ethylene-glycol) to PACAs to increase circulation times in the body, in association with folic acid-conjugated nanoparticles to specifically target human cancer cells (folic acid binding proteins are over expressed in cancer cells).
PACA nanoparticles have reached stage II of clinical trials; we hope they will soon allow a breakthrough in cancer treatment technologies.
