Theranostic research from the University of California, Riverside and MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas (Houston, TX) that describes a fluorescence technique for identifying and destroying ovarian cancer cells was selected as Editor’s Choice for the September 2014 issue of Lasers in Surgery and Medicine (LSM).
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The manuscript (see http://www.aslms.org/professional/documents/September2014EditorsChoiceManuscript.pdf) entitled “Functionalized Polymeric Nanoparticles Loaded with Indocyanine Green as Theranostic Materials for Targeted Molecular Near Infrared Fluorescence Imaging and Photothermal Destruction of Ovarian Cancer Cells” was published in LSM, the official journal of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS; Wausau, WI).
The study demonstrates the effectiveness of a nanostructured system for combined near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) over-expression, as a biomarker of ovarian cancer cells, and photothermal destruction of these cells in vitro.
"The use of multi-functional nanoconstructs in detection and treatment of tissue malformations is a very promising and rapidly advancing area of research," said Baharak Bahmani. "Herein, we have reported in-vitro targeting of ovarian cancer cells using Indocyanine Green loaded polymeric nanoparticles functionalized with anti-epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (anti-HER2) antibodies. These multi-functional nanoconstructs were utilized to optically detect ovarian cancer cells followed by laser-based photodestruction of cancer cells. The functionalization procedure described in this manuscript may be implemented as a platform for functionalization of various types of nanoconstructs for detection and therapy of malignant tissue.”
"The biophotonics research group at UC Riverside has engineered an optical nano-scale multi-functional platform composed of a polymeric material doped with indocyanine green, and functionalized with monoclonal antibodies. In collaboration with colleagues at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the investigators demonstrate that this single platform is capable of specific targeting, near infrared molecular imaging, and photothermal destruction of ovarian cancer cells in vitro," said Bahman Anvari.
SOURCE: ASLMS; http://www.aslms.org/professional/documents/September2014EditorsChoiceManuscript.pdf