Molecular Info® Copy Right © 2001
Institute of Molecular Development LLC
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Tumor Therapy with Targeted Atomic Nanogenerators
Michael R. McDevitt, Dangshe Ma, Lawrence T. Lai,
Jim Simon, Paul Borchardt, R. Keith Frank, Karen Wu, Virginia Pellegrini,
Michael J. Curcio, Matthias Miederer, Neil H. Bander, David A. Scheinberg
The Science, November 2001, 294, 1537 - 1540.
A single, high linear energy transfer alpha particle can kill a target cell.
We have developed methods to target molecular-sized generators of alpha-emitting isotope
cascades to the inside of cancer cells using actinium-225 coupled to internalizing monoclonal
antibodies. In vitro, these constructs specifically killed leukemia, lymphoma, breast, ovarian,
neuroblastoma, and prostate cancer cells at becquerel (picocurie) levels. Injection of single
doses of the constructs at kilobecquerel (nanocurie) levels into mice bearing solid prostate
carcinoma or disseminated human lymphoma induced tumor regression and prolonged survival,
without toxicity, in a substantial fraction of animals. Nanogenerators targeting a wide variety
of cancers may be possible.
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