Triple-negative breast cancer is notably aggressive, with treatment challenges heightening when tumour cells develop resistance to chemotherapy. Paclitaxel is a common treatment, but its effectiveness is hindered by poor targeting and drug resistance. Meanwhile, gene-silencing agents like siRNA have the potential to deactivate resistance-related genes but face degradation in the bloodstream and difficulty entering cells. A patent from Macau University of Science and Technology proposes a solution with newly designed sphingolipid compounds. These compounds can form cationic liposomes, tiny lipid carriers that transport both drugs and nucleic acids. They combine lipid tails and diverse head groups to ensure high transfection efficiency, stability, and low toxicity. The platform isn’t limited to a single treatment; it can co-deliver paclitaxel and siRNA targeting HIF-1α, a protein linked to tumour response to low oxygen and drug resistance. Silencing HIF-1α alongside chemotherapy aims to work synergistically, potentially overcoming paclitaxel resistance in triple-negative breast cancer. The carrier platform also supports various nucleic acids such as siRNA, miRNA, antagomirs, plasmid DNA, and mRNA, as well as different therapeutic compounds. This innovation indicates a versatile approach for future treatments, allowing a single nanoscale carrier to deliver both drugs and gene therapies.
A lipid carrier designed to help cancer drugs and gene therapy work together
Patent number: CN 114933569 B
Inventor(s): Z. Jiang, L. Bai, T. Xu, X. Zhou, and Y. Guo
Citation: Z. Jiang, L. Bai, T. Xu, X. Zhou, and Y. Guo, “鞘脂类化合物、含有鞘脂类化合物的脂质体和应用 [Sphingolipid compounds, liposomes containing the sphingolipid compounds, and applications],” China Patent CN 114933569 B, Jul. 23, 2024.
