Science 3 months ago

Innovative Covalent Frameworks for Cancer Therapy

NYU Abu Dhabi researchers create peptide-enhanced nCOFs for targeted triple-negative breast cancer therapy. This new method improves drug delivery and reduces side effects.

Researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), led by Ali Trabolsi, have pioneered a new method for treating triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) using nanoscale covalent organic frameworks (nCOFs). These frameworks, which are crystalline organic polymers, have been enhanced with peptides to target TNBC, a particularly aggressive breast cancer subtype.

The peptides incorporated into the nCOFs enable the frameworks to release medications specifically within the tumor's acidic environment. This ensures that the drug is concentrated at the tumor site, maximizing its effectiveness and minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

Published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, the study titled "cRGD-Peptide Modified Covalent Organic Frameworks for Precision Chemotherapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer" details the creation of alkyne-functionalized nCOFs modified with cyclic RGD peptides (Alkyn-nCOF-cRGD). These peptides are designed to target αvβ3 integrins, which are overexpressed in TNBC cells.

These nCOFs are engineered to be biocompatible and to decompose in acidic conditions, allowing them to release Doxorubicin, a chemotherapy drug, directly where it's needed. According to Farah Benyettou, a lead researcher, this technique uses peptides as a "key" to precisely deliver the drug into cancer cells, thus reducing side effects and improving treatment efficacy.

This approach is especially significant in the UAE, where breast cancer is prevalent. Traditional drug delivery systems face challenges such as non-specific targeting, fluctuating drug levels, rapid clearance, and harm to healthy tissues. The in vitro and in vivo success of this research highlights the advanced targeting capabilities of these nCOFs and marks a step forward in developing more personalized and effective cancer therapies.

Trabolsi noted that this innovation is a major advancement in combating TNBC, addressing current limitations in drug delivery and moving towards more tailored cancer treatments that are both more potent and less harmful to patients.