'Amazing' nanoparticles from maize: A potent and economical anti-cancer therapeutic
Japanese researchers develop a nanoparticle-based drug delivery system
from corn/maize to target cancer cells

Date:
February 14, 2022
Source:
Tokyo University of Science
Summary:
Nanomaterials have revolutionized the world of cancer therapy,
and plant- derived nanoparticles have the added advantage of being
cost-effective and easy to mass produce. Researchers have recently
developed novel corn- derived bionanoparticles for targeting
cancer cells directly, via an immune mechanism. The results are
encouraging, and the technique has demonstrated efficacy in treating
tumor-bearing laboratory mice.

Moreover, no serious adverse effects have been reported in mice
so far.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Nanoparticles, or particles whose size varies between 1 and 100
nanometers, have shown tremendous potential in many areas of science and technology, including therapeutics. However, conventional, synthetic nanoparticles are complicated and expensive to produce. Extracellular
vesicles (EVs), which have emerged as an alternative option to synthetic nanoparticles, show challenges for mass production.


========================================================================== Another recently emerging option is that of plant-derived nanoparticles
(NPs), which can be easily produced in high levels at relatively lower
costs. Like EVs, these nanoparticle-based systems also contain bioactive molecules, including polyphenols (which are known antioxidants) and
microRNA, and they can deliver drugs to target organs in our bodies.

Leveraging this knowledge, researchers from the Tokyo University
of Science (TUS) recently developed bionanoparticles with anticancer
activity, using corn (maize) as the raw material. Prof. Makiya Nishikawa
of Tokyo University of Science, Japan, who led the research team in this endeavor, elucidates, "By controlling the physicochemical properties
of nanoparticles, we can control their pharmacokinetics in the body;
so, we wanted to explore the nanoparticulation of edible plants. Maize,
or corn, is produced in large quantities worldwide in its native form
as well as in its genetically modified forms. That is why we selected
it for our study." The results of this study were published online on
24 November 2021 in Scientific Reports.

The team created a homogeneous mixture of super sweet corn in water,
then centrifuged this corn juice at a high speed, subsequently filtering
it through a syringe filter with a pore size of 0.45 mm. The filtered
samples were then ultracentrifuged to obtain NPs derived from corn. The corn-derived NPs (cNPs) were approximately 80 nm in diameter. Quite interestingly, these cNPs also carried a tiny net negative charge of
-17 mV.

The research team then set up experiments to see whether these cNPs
were being taken up by various types of cells. In a series of promising results, the cNPs were taken up by multiple types of cells, including the clinically relevant colon26 tumor cells (cancer cells derived from mice), RAW264.7 macrophage-like cells, and normal NIH3T3 cells. RAW264.7 cells
are commonly used as in vitro screens for immunomodulators―drugs
that primarily target various cancer pathways.

The results were astounding: of the three types of cells, cNPs only significantly inhibited the growth of colon26 cells, indicating their selectivity for carcinogenic cell lines. Moreover, cNPs were able
to successfully induce the release of tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a)
from RAW264.7 cells. It is a well-documented fact that TNFa is primarily secreted by macrophages, natural killer cells, and lymphocytes―three
key ingredients of our highly evolved immune system and which help
mount an anticancer response. "The strong TNFa response was encouraging
and indicated the role of cNPs in treating various types of cancer,"
explains Dr. Daisuke Sasaki, first author of the study and an instructor
and researcher at TUS.

The research team then conducted a reporter assay with the enzyme
"luciferase" (derived from fireflies), which is a sensitive reporter
for studying various biological responses. This luciferase-based
assay revealed that the potent combination of cNPs and RAW264.7 cells significantly suppressed the proliferation of colon26 cells. Finally,
the research team studied the effect of cNPs on laboratory mice bearing subcutaneous tumors. Once again, the results were astonishing: injecting
cNPs into colon26 tumors on a daily basis significantly suppressed tumor growth, without causing serious side effects, or weight loss.

"By optimizing nanoparticle properties and by combining them with
anticancer drugs, we hope to devise safe and efficacious drugs for
various cancers," observes an optimistic Prof. Nishikawa.

Summarizing these impactful findings, Dr. Kosuke Kusamori, co-author and assistant professor at TUS says, "These cNPs exhibit excellent anti-tumor properties, are easy to develop, and are economically viable. Moreover,
they do not exhibit any serious adverse effects, at least in mice so far!" ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Tokyo_University_of_Science. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Daisuke Sasaki, Kosuke Kusamori, Yukiya Takayama, Shoko Itakura,
Hiroaki
Todo, Makiya Nishikawa. Development of nanoparticles
derived from corn as mass producible bionanoparticles with
anticancer activity. Scientific Reports, 2021; 11 (1) DOI:
10.1038/s41598-021-02241-y ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/02/220214111804.htm

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