This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The ultimate goal in cancer treatment would be a way to target only the cancer cells and leave the healthy cells alone, making negative side-effects obsolete. Hyperthermia, the heating of a cancer cell beyond the possibility of cell repair, is a path towards reaching that goal. Heat is not toxic to the human body if it can be delivered specifically only to the cancerous cells. Classic methods, such as bathing in hot water or using ultrasound, microwaves or radiowaves to heat parts of the body, are not as specific as we would like and cause damage, often irreparable, to healthy cells. Our new strategy would deliver magnetic particles to the cancerous cells using liposomes (very primitive artificial cell models) with a """"""""light switch"""""""". Using the light of a laser, our liposomes will be activated and discharge their payload directly at the cancer site. The protein from M. smegmatis, MspA, binds to cancer cells and can be bound to the magnetic particles as well. Once magnetic heating is applied, the cancerous tissue can be heated over 60oC making any repair impossible. This procedure will cause apoptosis (programmed cell death) rather than necrosis of the cancerous tissue and has the advantage of only causing damage to the cancerous tissue and bypassing the healthy cells.
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