Cancer, cardio-vascular disease etc.

Question 1

Give at least 3 examples of pathophysiological changes occurring during cancer.

Answer 1

Acidic pH around
Leaky vessel
Vascularization
Poor lymphatic drainage
Receptor overexpressing
Poor perfusion (warm blood stays)

Question 2

What is EPR effect and why is it possible? What are the physiological factors favorable for EPR in cancer tissue?

Answer 2

Enhanced Permeability and Retention effect

NPs circulating for a long time will finally get to tumor

Leaky vessel, vascularization, poor lymphatic drainage

Question 3

Which properties will favor for EPR effect?

Answer 3

NPs 30-100 nm
Large, hydrophilic (evade immune system) and be neutral/negative

Question 4

What is the rationale for targeting a) “Herceptin”, b) folate, c) transferin and d) fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors during cancer?

Answer 4

a) Prevent cell proliferation
b) Prevent cell proliferation
c) Regulate iron uptake
d) Prevent cell proliferation, drug resistance and aggressiveness

Question 5

How does a biological trap work?

Answer 5

Trick tumors to migrate to places where we can kill them

Done through chemotaxi, haptotaxi (immobilized affinity ligand) or electrotaxi (electric stimuli)

Question 6

What is the rational for using NPs for treating cardio-vascular disease, such as myocardial infarction? What is the main goal of treatment?

Answer 6

Want to revascularize.

NPs could deliver growth factors of angioproteins (sustain new cells) and be localized through EPR.

Question 7

What types of NPs can be useful for delivery of growth factors or drugs in ischemic tissue?

Answer 7

Ischemic tissue = low blood flow

Cannot rely on blood flow and EPR, maybe targeted are better?

Question 8

Describe how EPR effect is used in ocular disease, such as wet macular degeneration. What are the physiological changes during disease?

Answer 8

Ocular disease with leaky blood vessels. Use EPR to get to them, and then use a laser to acitivate phototoxicity - treat the disease.