Nanomaterials and Block Copolymers for Overcoming Multidrug Resistance in Cancer

The development of multidrug resistance in cancer is one of the leading causes for decreased chemotherapy efficacy and is particularly threatening to aggressive cancers such as that of the pancreas. In cancers where chemotherapy is amongst the few treatment options, it is crucial to develop chemotherapeutics that either bypass or control the development of multidrug resistance. Polymeric nanomaterials such as Pluronics® are of current interest due to their ability to perform these functions in addition to enhancing pro-apoptotic mechanisms. Using the respectively known chemosensitive and chemoresistant pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines MiaPaCa-2 and PANC-1, an in vitro analysis of the synergistic effect using 5-fluorouracil in conjugation with Pluronic® F127 was performed. By monitoring cell viability and regulation of cell cycle, we were able to show that compared to the use of 5-flurouracil alone, there was enhanced cytotoxicity when using drug associated with Pluronic® F127 in MiaPaCa-2 cells. The more chemoresistant cell line PANC-1 showed no significant enhancement of 5-fluorouracil cytotoxicity when associated with Pluronic® F127. Enhanced cytotoxicity due to the use of Pluronic® F127 may potentially become an exploitable feature for novel chemotherapeutic development in the future.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Basic Sciences

Year

2011

Author dc:creator

• Livingstone, Wesley

Contributors dc:contributor

• Perry, Christopher

• Medical Biochemistry
• Neoplasms -- Drug therapy;
• Nanomaterials
• Multidrug Resistance
• Chemotherapy
• Cancer

Statement dc:rights

• This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/42

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarsrepository.llu.edu:etd-1041