The University of Central Florida's material sciences engineers created an artificial enzyme in the form of a cerium oxide nanoparticle. This enzyme can improve bone regeneration, reduce blood cell loss, and aid in the death of cancer cells. The study was released in the Bioactive Materials journal.
Medical Center
Bone Brittleness as Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is used to treat about half of all cancer patients, and it cures about 40% of them. However, 75% of radiation patients suffer from bone damage.
According to Melanie Coathup, the study's researcher and a material sciences engineer at the University of Central Florida, bone absorbs 30-40% more radiation than other tissues due to its high calcium content.
She claims that radiation causes the bone to become brittle and easily fractured. And as a result of the radiation damage, many people cannot repair their bone fractures. In some cases, an amputation is required to resolve the complication.
Even though the radiotherapy beams are directed directly at the tumor, the surrounding healthy tissues are affected. There is currently no effective drug or therapy available to protect healthy tissue from radiation damage.
Coathup said this is not only a problem for cancer patients who undergo radiotherapy but also poses problems for astronauts assigned for future deep space exploration.
Nanoparticle Cerium Oxide
The cerium oxide nanoparticle, also known as nanoceria, was designed by Sudipta Seal, a nanotechnologist and one of the researchers. This enzyme can mimic antioxidant activity and has a stronger defense mechanism for protecting cells from DNA damage.
The nanoceria uses a specially designed regenerative lattice structure to destroy harmful reactive oxygen species, a byproduct of radiation treatment.
Nanozyme Testing
Coathup put the nanozyme to the test in live mice undergoing radiation therapy. According to the researcher, exposing rats to radiation at levels comparable to those given to cancer patients resulted in weak and damaged bones. However, the bone was not damaged when the animals were given the nanozyme before and during three doses of radiation over three days. It had the strength of a healthy bone.
According to Phys.org, the study also revealed that the nanozyme treatment aided in the death of cancer cells. The researchers believe this is due to an increase in acidity. The rats were also protected from the loss of white and red blood cells, which is common in cancer patients.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, a low white cell count is one of the side effects of cancer treatment.
Another intriguing discovery was that the nanoparticle increased the ability of healthy cells to produce more antioxidants, reducing inflammation and promoting bone formation.
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Future Research
Future research will determine the appropriate dosage and administration of the nanozyme and further explore how nanenozyme helps kill cancer cells. The researchers plan to focus their studies on breast cancer because women are more susceptible to bone damage than men.
"Cancer patients are already struggling with fighting one disease. They shouldn't have to be worried about bone fractures and tissue damage." Coatup said they hoped the breakthrough would help survivors go back to living a normal and healthy life.
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