Researchers from the University of Michigan and the Biointerfaces Institute (Ann Arbor, MI), along with international collaborators, have created nanodiscs that can target cholesterol levels in glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive form of brain cancer, by starving the cancer cells and increasing survival rates of treated mice. The nanodiscs delivered molecules that increase the number of pumps that can export cholesterol out of tumor cells, resulting in their death. When used in combination with radiation therapy, more than 60% of the mice survived when compared to the mice that only received radiation. The nanodisks also had molecules on their surfaces that activate the body’s immune system. As a result, immune cells not only attacked the tumor but also were able to attack any future tumors.
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