A team of scientists from Rice University, Texas A&M University, and the University of Texas discovered a new way to destroy cancer cells by stimulating aminocyanine molecules with near-infrared light, causing synchronized vibrations that break cell membranes. Aminocyanine, used in bioimaging for cancer detection, remains stable in water and adheres well to cell exteriors.
Cancer Breakthrough: Faster, Precise Molecular Jackhammers
The latest method developed by the research team represents a significant advancement compared to a previously created cancer-killing molecular machine known as Feringa-type motors, which also could disrupt the structures of troublesome cells.
That study reveals that molecular machines can drill through cellular bilayers through nanomechanical action. Upon adsorption of the molecular motors onto lipid bilayers and activation using ultraviolet light, holes are created in cell membranes.
The designed molecular motors and experimental protocols facilitate the diffusion of chemical species, enhance the movement of molecular machines into live cells, induce necrosis, and introduce substances into live cells.
The nanomechanical action can selectively target specific cell-surface recognition sites when molecular machines bear short peptide addends. The researchers anticipate in vivo applications as the design progresses for two-photon, near-infrared, and radio-frequency activation.
On the other hand, chemist James Tour of Rice University describes the innovative molecular machines of the new study as a new generation, dubbing them "molecular jackhammers." These machines exhibit mechanical motion over one million times faster than the previous Feringa-type motors and can be activated using near-infrared light instead of visible light.
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Near-Infrared Light Destroy Cancer Cells Mechanically
The utilization of near-infrared light holds significance as it enables scientists to penetrate deeper into the body, potentially treating cancer in bones and organs without surgical intervention.
In laboratory tests on cultured cancer cells, the molecular jackhammer technique demonstrated an impressive 99% success rate in destroying cells. Additionally, experiments on mice with melanoma tumors showed that half of the animals became cancer-free.
The aminocyanine molecules, integral to the method, possess structural and chemical properties that keep them in synchronization with the right stimulus, such as near-infrared light. The motion of these molecules induces the formation of plasmons, collective vibrating entities that drive movement across the entire molecule.
Chemist Ciceron Ayala-Orozco from Rice University emphasizes that this discovery marks the first use of a molecular plasmon to excite the whole molecule, generating mechanical action to rupture cancer cell membranes.
The plasmons, featuring an arm on one side, connect the molecules to cancer cell membranes, facilitating the disruptive impact of vibrations. While the research is in its early stages, the initial findings are promising, and this biomechanical technique presents a potential challenge for cancer cells to evolve resistance.
The researchers are now exploring other types of molecules that can be employed similarly for cancer treatment, aiming to leverage mechanical forces at the molecular scale. The study, titled "Molecular jackhammers eradicate cancer cells by vibronic-driven action," has been published in Nature Chemistry.
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