Breakthrough in Cancer Gene Therapy: Researchers Develop Innovative Nanomaterials for Targeted Treatment

Researchers from the Institute of Nano Science and Technology have made a significant breakthrough in cancer gene therapy by developing a novel nanomaterial that can target and treat glioma, a type of brain cancer, with unprecedented efficiency. The innovative approach involves the use of exfoliated 2D transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMDCs)-based nanomaterials, which are then conjugated with a biocompatible peptide scaffold to create hybrid MoS-peptide nanosystems. These nanosystems can deliver anticancer siRNA/drug and photothermal agents to glioma cells, resulting in a 90% cancer cell death in C6 glioma cells under NIR exposure.

Key Takeaways:

• Researchers have developed a novel nanomaterial that can target and treat glioma with unprecedented efficiency.
• The nanomaterial is composed of exfoliated 2D TMDCs-based nanomaterials conjugated with a biocompatible peptide scaffold.
• The hybrid MoS-peptide nanosystems can deliver anticancer siRNA/drug and photothermal agents to glioma cells, resulting in 90% cancer cell death in C6 glioma cells under NIR exposure.
• The expression of the Galectin-1 oncogene was suppressed following the treatment, indicating the potential of this approach for cancer gene therapy.
• Analysis in the C6 glioma syngeneic rat model demonstrated a significant reduction (10 fold) in tumor volume with siRNA/Dox-loaded FA-MoS-peptide NSs + NIR compared to the phosphate buffer saline-treated control group.
• Biodistribution studies confirmed the higher targetability of FA-conjugated hybrid NSs, indicating the potential of this approach for targeted cancer therapy.

Statistics:

• 90% cancer cell death in C6 glioma cells under NIR exposure using siRNA/Dox-loaded FA-MoS-peptide NSs.
• 10-fold reduction in tumor volume in the C6 glioma syngeneic rat model with siRNA/Dox-loaded FA-MoS-peptide NSs + NIR compared to the phosphate buffer saline-treated control group.
• 51°C temperature elevation upon 808 nm NIR absorption by the exfoliated MoS-peptide NSs.

Sources:

• Photoresponsive and Shape-Switchable MoS2-Peptide-Hybrid Nanosystems for Enacting Photochemo and siRNA-Mediated Gene Therapy in Glioma. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2025.
• Institute of Nano Science and Technology Reports Findings in Cancer Gene Therapy (Photoresponsive and Shape-Switchable MoS2-Peptide-Hybrid Nanosystems for Enacting Photochemo and siRNA-Mediated Gene Therapy in Glioma). Nanotechnology Weekly. May 26, 2025; p 466.