Photocontrolled release of nitric oxide as a novel strategy to amplify dexorubicin activity in cancer

Doxorubicin is one of the most widely used chemotherapeutics in the fight against a wide range of tumors. Its main limitations in the clinic are high cardiotoxicity and drug-resistance development that significantly affect patients' quality of life. The research project aims to overcome these limits by exploiting an innovative approach based on appropriate combinations of Doxorubicin with molecules able to release nitric oxide (NO) if stimulated by visible light, conveyed by biodegradable nanoparticles. The light represents a sort of "optical syringe" that offers the advantage of regulating the dosage of generated NO with great accuracy, allowing to exploit its dual role as a cytotoxic agent or as an inhibitor of the efflux cell pumps responsible for drug-resistance. With this strategy it is hoped to enhance the anti-tumor activity of Doxorubicin, reducing its massive dosage and, consequently, its side effects. Hence the motto: "Say NO to Cancer"

It is expected that the results of this project will provide new information on the optimization of minimally invasive therapeutic treatments, which intrinsically have a high potential for innovation, allowing a more efficient and rational use of chemotherapeutics.