Monobenzone Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Melanoma Tumor Cells
Session Number
Project ID: MEDH 11
Advisor(s)
Dr. Caroline Le Poole, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
Mr. Rohan Shivde, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
Dr. Kelly Conger, Northwestern University
Dr. SonBinh Nguyen, Northwestern University
Discipline
Medical and Health Sciences
Start Date
17-4-2024 8:35 AM
End Date
17-4-2024 8:50 AM
Abstract
Melanoma is a highly malignant form of skin cancer originating from melanocytes, cells responsible for pigment production, and there exist limited treatments for the disease. Monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone (MBEH), approved as a treatment for Vitiligo, targets the melanogenic pathway of melanin synthesis through its conversion into a toxic product by tyrosinase. Due to its toxicity at concentrations to get therapeutic effects, a better application of MBEH is needed. We hypothesize that MBEH nanoscale particles can be used as a systemic, therapeutic application for the treatment of melanoma. Both nanoparticle and free MBEH and its derivatives were applied to the B16 F10 cell in which nanoparticles proved to be more cytotoxic at the same drug concentration and eliminated 85 to 95% of the cells in 48 hours compared to the untreated control cells. The same nanoparticles were further tested on mTyr, mTRP-1, mTRP-2, mgp-100, and mMART melanoprotein-expressing HEK293 cells which showed less cytotoxicity to these cells compared to HEK293 cells without melanoproteins. Future opportunities include additional assays to test the effectiveness of the drug on differing strains of melanoma namely A375 and 888 cells. The makings of a promising systemic treatment for metastatic melanoma are visible through this experiment.
Monobenzone Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Melanoma Tumor Cells
Melanoma is a highly malignant form of skin cancer originating from melanocytes, cells responsible for pigment production, and there exist limited treatments for the disease. Monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone (MBEH), approved as a treatment for Vitiligo, targets the melanogenic pathway of melanin synthesis through its conversion into a toxic product by tyrosinase. Due to its toxicity at concentrations to get therapeutic effects, a better application of MBEH is needed. We hypothesize that MBEH nanoscale particles can be used as a systemic, therapeutic application for the treatment of melanoma. Both nanoparticle and free MBEH and its derivatives were applied to the B16 F10 cell in which nanoparticles proved to be more cytotoxic at the same drug concentration and eliminated 85 to 95% of the cells in 48 hours compared to the untreated control cells. The same nanoparticles were further tested on mTyr, mTRP-1, mTRP-2, mgp-100, and mMART melanoprotein-expressing HEK293 cells which showed less cytotoxicity to these cells compared to HEK293 cells without melanoproteins. Future opportunities include additional assays to test the effectiveness of the drug on differing strains of melanoma namely A375 and 888 cells. The makings of a promising systemic treatment for metastatic melanoma are visible through this experiment.