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University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Dual Receptor Uptake of Low-Density Lipoprotein Docosahexaenoic Acid (LDL-DHA) Elicits Differential Sensitivity Across Breast Cancer Subtypes

Abstract

dc:description

We proposed to treat breast cancer with a novel nanomedicine previously shown to be effective in the treatment of primary liver tumors in rats. This nanoparticle is comprised of the low-density lipoprotein which acts as a carrier for the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The LDL-DHA nanoparticle has demonstrated cancer selective cytotoxicity with little ill effects on healthy cells. Our research began by selecting a panel of breast cancer cell lines representative of the various subtypes of clinical breast cancer. This panel was screened for expression of LDL and SR-B1 receptors, in addition LDL nanoparticle uptake kinetics was evaluated in each cell line. Thereafter, the cytotoxicity of LDL-DHA nanoparticles was assessed across the panel of breast cancer cells. Animal experiments showing efficacy of LDL-DHA nanoparticle are currently in progress, with the expectation that LDL-DHA treatment of tumors will induce significant tumor necrosis. Our current data suggests that our LDL-DHA nanoparticles are avidly taken up by breast cancer cells, with triple negative breast cancer cells showing some of the highest uptake, mediated by LDLR and SR-B1. LDL-DHA has a higher affinity for LDLR compared to SR-B1 with both receptors being able to mediate uptake. Concurrently, we showed that there is a reciprocal relationship between LDLR and SR-B1, where one receptor compensates for loss of the other to maintain cholesterol homeostasis. Thus, ensuring uptake of LDL-DHA nanoparticles in breast cancer cells. Moreover, LDL-DHA nanoparticles elicit significant cytotoxicity with triple negative breast cancer subtypes being most sensitive to LDL-DHA. As such, in vivo and clinical use of this nanomedicine is anticipated to be effective for metastatic breast cancer tumors with potentially more utility in triple negative breast cancer.

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Bower, Joseph Louis
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Malladi, Srinivas
  • Brekken, Rolf A.
  • Raj, Ganesh V.
  • Corbin, Ian R.

Subjects

dc:subject × 6

Rights

Language dc:language
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Identifier
1535537207
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:utswmed-ir.tdl.org:2152.5/10696

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Base URL
utswmed-ir.tdl.org/server/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Bower, Joseph Louis. Dual Receptor Uptake of Low-Density Lipoprotein Docosahexaenoic Acid (LDL-DHA) Elicits Differential Sensitivity Across Breast Cancer Subtypes. 2025. https://hdl.handle.net/2152.5/10696