Manipal University has developed a multifunctional nano-composite carrying anticancer drug, Temozolamide, to target glioblastoma which is a tumour of the brain.
 
A group of scientists led by Dr. B. S. Satish Rao, Professor, School of Life Sciences (SOLS) and his doctoral student Suma Prabhu have identified a paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs). The researchers functionalized it by tagging ligand such as transferrin protein, which helps to cross the blood brain barrier. Another protein, Nestin which is an antibody was attached to preferentially target tumour cells.

The study consisted of exposing human glial tumour cells grown in the mouse brain. The mice were treated with the nanoengineered drug. It was observed that the engineered drug could easily cross the blood brain barrier and that it preferentially concentrated in tumours sparing the other healthy tissues surrounding tumour cells.

The research is published in the recent issue of the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK’s prestigious Journal ‘Nanoscale’. The work was financially supported by School of Life Sciences and Manipal University, Manipal in the form of a structured Ph.D fellowship to Prabhu for her doctoral program under the mentorship of Dr Rao in collaboration with Dr. N. Udupa, Dr. Srinivas Mutalik from Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. Sharada Rai, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, as well as Dr. Jayant Sastri Goda, Dr. Pardeep Chaudhari, Mr. Bhabani Shankar Mohanty form ACTREC, Mumbai.

Glioblastoma is the most aggressive, heterogeneous form of brain tumour, accounting for 80% of all glial neoplasms. Primarily, the factors such as diffusion constraints of Blood Brain Barrier junctional proteins, resistant stem cell niche, normal tissue associated toxicity and intrinsic drug resistance further limits the success of treatment. It is in this scenario there is a need for an efficient platform for the delivery of chemotherapeutics specifically to the site of cancer.