Scientists at Tel Aviv University in Israel have discovered that the CRISPR-Cas9 system is effective against metastatic cancer. Researchers have developed lipid particles that target tumor cells and carry with them RNA molecules encoding molecular scissors. The revolutionary discovery is reported in an article published in the journal Science Advances.
Biologists have shown that the method used to edit the genome can be used to effectively treat malignant tumors. According to experts, unlike chemotherapy, this approach does not lead to unwanted side effects, and the exposed cancer cells will no longer be able to replicate.
The new delivery system CRISPR-LNPs are particles containing genetic information about the amino acid sequence of the Cas9 enzyme in the form of RNA. The particles are able to penetrate into cancer cells, after which they begin to produce Cas9. In addition, they contain sg-RNA (single guide) molecules that bind to a specific region of the cell's DNA, indicating to the molecular scissors where to cut.
Experiments in mice showed that a single intracerebral injection of CRISPR-LNP against the PLK1 gene into aggressive orthotopic glioblastoma allowed up to 70 percent of the genes to be edited, which caused apoptosis (controlled death) of tumor cells, and inhibited tumor growth by 50 percent and increased survival by 30 percent. In addition, the system was tested on ovarian cancer by targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor gene, which increased survival by 80 percent.
