Cancer is a malignant disease that causes abnormally high death rate. Numerous prodrugs have been developed and used for cancer treatments to reduce side effects and promote efficacy.  

A research team from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a new method based on light-induced intracellular control polymerization to treat cancer.  

The study was published in JACS Au on Feb. 23.  

In their previous studies, the team has explored the possibility of constructing artificial polymers in living cells and found that intracellular polymerization can change the cell cycle, cytoskeleton structure, and cell motility. 

In this study, the researchers used the method of light-controlled photoinduced electron transfer–reversible addition–fragmentation chain-transfer (PET-RAFT) polymerization. Based on the method, they achieved polymer synthesis with predictable and controllable molecular weight and reduced molecular weight distribution, which improves the regularity of the polymer as well as the controllability and reproducibility of the intracellular polymerization system.  

Moreover, the team further explored the application potential of the intracellular polymerization system, screened a library of monomers for the purpose of tumor treatment, and developed a precision tumor treatment system based on intracellular polymerization.  

Through the screening of cytotoxicity, they found that a class of acrylamide polymer monomers with low toxicity could improve their cytotoxicity after polymerization, efficiently inducing apoptosis and necrosis in tumor cells. 

The research team verified the biosecurity of the intracellular polymerization prodrug system, and found that the body weight, hematological parameters and histological characteristics of the main organs of the experimental animals were not affected by intracellular polymerization or arbitrary component administration.  

"We hope that the precision tumor treatment method based on intracellular polymerization in our work will open a new era in polymer therapy for cancer treatment," said GENG Jin, lead author of the study.