SUTD Developed MoS2 Nanostructure Material with Virus for Cancer Therapy

Researchers at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) have developed a novel theranostic MoS₂ nanostructure material system for cancer therapy that uses microsecond electrical pulses applied to a two-dimensional material to destroy more than 20% of pancreatic cancer cells with a high degree of biocompatibility.

This electrothermal therapy works by injecting the two-dimensional material into cancer cells and applying an electric current to the cells, thereby heating the material and killing the surrounding cancer cells cancer-targeting targeting accuracy and biocompatibility.

(Credit: SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN)

Conventional electrothermal therapy with two-dimensional materials may fail due to poor ablation of cancer cells. This is due to the limited amount of material assembled on the cancer cells and the weak Joule heat generated by the material.

To address these issues, researchers have developed a MoS₂ nanostructure material system, the researchers deposited the M13 virus on a molybdenum sulfide (MoS₂) layered material, creating a hybrid nanomaterial MoS₂ nanostructure and M13 virus (called MNM by the authors). In addition, they altered the nanomaterial surface with polyethylene glycol (PEG) to improve biocompatibility.

The introduction of the M13 virus improves the performance of electrothermal therapy. Compared to conventional 2D materials, more MNMs are assembled on cancer cells due to the higher specificity of the binding of M13 viruses to cancer cells. Due to the high electrical conductivity of MoS₂ materials, strong Joule heating is also generated. Therefore, more heat is generated in the nanomaterials, which can be used to kill more cancer cells. For example, the MNM nanosystem can reduce the percentage of cancer cells by 23%, which is about twice as much as current thermal therapy nanosystems can do.

"For years, cancer patients and researchers have dreamed of curing cancer. It is important to eliminate cancer recurrence and metastasis in the body," said Assistant Professor Desmond Loke, principal investigator at the Singapore University of Technology and Design. "Due to the diversity, heterogeneity, and complexity of cancer cells, a single conventional therapy cannot completely eradicate cancer cells. This is why we aim to design a simple nanosystem or nanomaterial to synergistically eradicate and treat cancer cells."

Reference: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/979955

DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15010106

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