Novel nano-vaccine for melanoma :

Melanoma develops in the skin cells that produce melanin or skin pigment. "The war against cancer in general, and melanoma in particular, has advanced over the years through a variety of treatment modalities, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy; but the vaccine approach, which has proven so effective against various viral diseases, has not materialized yet against cancer," says by the head of the Laboratory for Cancer Research and Nanomedicine at TAU's Sackler Faculty of Medicine, and Prof. Helena Florindo of the University of Lisbon and the research head Prof. Satchi-Fainaro. In that study, it is shown for the first time that it is possible to produce an effective nano-vaccine against melanoma and to sensitize the immune system to immunotherapies.

The researchers harnessed tiny particles, about 170 nanometers in size, made of a biodegradable polymer. Within each particle, they "packed" two peptides -- short chains of amino acids, which are expressed in melanoma cells. They then injected the nanoparticles (or "nano-vaccines") into a mouse model bearing melanoma.

"The nanoparticles acted just like known vaccines for viral-borne diseases," Prof. Satchi-Fainaro explains. "They stimulated the immune system of the mice, and the immune cells learned to identify and attack cells containing the two peptides -- that is, the melanoma cells. This meant that, from now on, the immune system of the immunized mice will attack melanoma cells if and when they appear in the body."

Source: American Friends of Tel Aviv University