Yonsei U develops substance enhancing treatment efficacy for ovarian cancer

A research team at Yonsei University College of Medicine has developed a nanovesicle candidate that improves the treatment results of ovarian cancer.

A Yonsei University College of Medicine research team has developed a nanovesicle that can increase the efficacy of ovarian cancer treatments. They are, from left, Professors Kim Sung-hoon, Chung Young-shin, Sung Hak-joon, and Yoon Hyo-jin.

The team, led by Professors Kim Sung-hoon and Chung Young-shin of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Sung Hak-joon and Yoon Hyo-jin of the Department of Medical Engineering, developed the nanovesicles by extruding ovarian cancer cells through filtering.

Ovarian cancer cell-derived nanovesicles are exosome mimics that act like drones that transport proteins and ribonucleic acid (RNA) between cells as nanovesicles store protein information on the surface of cancer cells.

Afterward, the research team reproduced an ovarian cancer environment to test the performance of the nanovesicles, called a three-dimensional microvascular network. The researchers created the network by creating a frame with 3D bioprinting technology and dissolving polymer fibers to mimic an actual blood-flowing environment.

In the three-dimensional microvascular network, the team could culture biomaterials and control blood volume according to the purpose of the study. It also developed an ovarian cancer chip implantable in animals or humans by culturing actual ovarian cancer tissue in the three-dimensional microvascular network.

To check whether the treatment response of the ovarian cancer chip is the same as real ovarian cancer, the researchers administered the same drug that they would use on ovarian cancer patients and observed the results. As a result, they found that the cultured ovarian cancer tissue response was consistent with the patient's prognosis.

The researchers also confirmed the efficacy of nanovesicles through the three-dimensional microvascular network.

After culturing normal and ovarian cancer tissues in a three-dimensional microvascular network, the team loaded the nanovesicles with ovarian cancer therapeutics and injected the nanovesicles into both tissues.

While the nanovesicles did not respond to normal tissues, they responded to ovarian cancer tissues. The therapeutic effect of reducing the number of cancer cells was 1.4 times better than when administering the treatment alone.

"The ovarian cancer chip developed by the team is an optimized system for continuously monitoring the effectiveness of therapeutic agents," Professor Sung said. "Nanovesicles developed together with the ovarian cancer chip will enable targeted treatment of therapeutic agents, greatly helping to enhance therapeutic effects."