Engineering virus-like particles for targeted delivery of anti-cancer drugs

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Abstract/Contents

Abstract
Targeted anti-cancer drug delivery is important both to improve the drug efficacy at the tumor site and to reduce side effects. For this purpose, virus-like particles (VLPs) offer several potential advantages. VLPs are non-infectious and self-assembled nanoparticles derived from viral capsids. Compared to traditional antibody-drug conjugates, they have the potential to provide a better delivery system by encapsulating a high number of drugs, while protecting the drugs from the surrounding environment before reaching to the cancer cell. The Swartz Lab has been developing Hepatitis B core (HepBc) VLPs to have high stability during manufacture and storage, and to present a non-immunogenic surface that can be easily modified with multiple ligands. The HepBc VLPs were further engineered to load and retain > 300 anti-cancer drugs per particle. Taking advantage of the previous developments in bioconjugation, multiple ligands have been attached to the surface of the VLPs for immune system avoidance and specific targeting. First, displaying the CD47 extracellular domain, or endogenous "marker of self", avoids immune clearance by phagocytes. Second, displaying a DNA aptamer specific to prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) allows the VLPs to specifically target PSMA+ prostate cancer cells, our model disease target. This triggers internalization of the VLPs into the cells where the VLPs will open to release their cytotoxic cargo. Compared to the systemic administration of anti-cancer drugs, this VLP-based delivery vehicle will greatly increase drug efficacy while reducing side effects. Taken together, this will dramatically increase the patient's survival as well as quality of life.

Description

Type of resource text
Form electronic resource; remote; computer; online resource
Extent 1 online resource.
Place California
Place [Stanford, California]
Publisher [Stanford University]
Copyright date 2019; ©2019
Publication date 2019; 2019
Issuance monographic
Language English

Creators/Contributors

Author Nagasawa, Maya
Degree supervisor Swartz, James R
Thesis advisor Swartz, James R
Thesis advisor Dunn, Alexander Robert
Thesis advisor Kim, Peter, 1958-
Degree committee member Dunn, Alexander Robert
Degree committee member Kim, Peter, 1958-
Associated with Stanford University, Department of Bioengineering.

Subjects

Genre Theses
Genre Text

Bibliographic information

Statement of responsibility Maya Nagasawa.
Note Submitted to the Department of Bioengineering.
Thesis Thesis Ph.D. Stanford University 2019.
Location electronic resource

Access conditions

Copyright
© 2019 by Maya Nagasawa
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 Unported license (CC BY-NC).

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