Another paper accepted!

I also forgot to tell you that during the summer we got another paper accepted and published. The link for the paper is below:

L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1)-utilizing efflux transporter inhibitors can improve the brain uptake and apoptosis-inducing effects of vinblastine in cancer cells

The study describes how chemotherapeutics can be delivered more effectively across the blood-brain barrier and into the cancer cells by co-treating them with a targeted efflux inhibitor that we have developed. The function of efflux pumps is one of the main mechanisms for chemoresistance and also the prevention of drugs accumulating into the brain. Efflux pump inhibitors have been developed for decades to improve anti-cancer therapy, but unfortunately, with lack of success, since efflux pumps have also a crucial role in healthy cells. Therefore, in our attempt, we created a prodrug of an efflux pump inhibitor that was able to utilize a familiar transporter, LAT1 (L-type amino acid transporter 1), which is over-expressed in many different types of cancer. Thus, in our study, the LAT1-utilizing derivative of probenecid was able to increase the brain uptake of another anti-cancer drug, vinblastine, and consequently its accumulation into the cancer cells, which in turn improved the apoptosis-inducing effects of vinblastine. Moreover, the LAT1-utilizing derivative of the efflux pump inhibitor was found to be hemocompatible, meaning that it is safe in the systemic circulation. This study was a continuation of our previous study:

Targeted efflux transporter inhibitors - A solution to improve poor cellular accumulation of anti-cancer agents 

and the present study was carried out in a collaboration with Dr. Magdalena Markowicz-Piasecka from the Medical Univerisity of Lodz. So thanks for all who contributed to this study and the one preceding it!