Conway Focus Issue 19 Summer 2013

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Issue 19,23 3 Summer 2013

4

plastic " Fighting cancer with biodegradable UCD researchers led1 ! by Conway Fellow, % have created Dr Kevin O’Connor an

5 agent 6

using small improved anti-cancer a biodegradable molecules derived from (67 -! !

plastic, PHA. Their findings are published in ! 8 ! the April issue of Biomaterials.

5 $ ' is a PHA or polyhydoxyalkanoate !

7 biodegradable plastic produced by 1

9 particular bacteria, such as Pseudomonas 4

: (9 4 :- putida commonly found in Irish soil. PHA is % ! 5 intensively studied as a substitute for non6

$

degradable plastic packaging. However, this

is the first example globally of a

plastic being used biodegradable monomer therapeutic. ! " as a cancer # $

of " broken %down The structure PHA can be & component " or into simpler building blocks $ called (R)-3-hydroxyalkanoic monomers " % acid one of which is called (R)-3-hydroxyde-

canoic acid for short. ' (" ) or R10 " *+ , The research team created a new molecular

- structure in the laboratory by chemically .

" $ linking R10 hybrid. of two naturally

" " " to a %

peptides " occurring with anti-cancer activity named P18. % They then investigated the impact of this

/" # new synthetic molecule (R10P18) on a " -+ variety of cancer types. ‘We found + % cell

" that these new synthetic molecules were able to +% "

drive cancer cells to self-destruction or apoptosis much more effectively than the P18 peptide would do if acting alone’, explained Dr Kevin O’Connor from UCD School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science.

" by cancer cells

" molecules with

" beginning within programmed cell death entry two hours of to

the cell’. In the design " of new molecules, the precise location of

% every component part is critical as this will

dictate how the structure ultimately . " " will " behave. " In the. case of the R10P18 molecule,

% the enhanced activity displayed *01., anti-cancer

is due % to the' presence and position of the " hydroxyl (OH) The structure component. promises flexibility for " further

chemical or biological in the future. " manipulation " 01.% laboratory A crucial " part of translating

research on potential drug candidates is to

- 23 investigate the behaviour of these novel " " compounds with other commercially available chemotherapeutics. " Clinicians

" often favour treatment regimen that uses $% 4 a " a combination of drugs rather single than " a compound. Acting together, " drugs can be more effective and the desired "

response is " achieved with a lower dosage.

% 0 "

The new R10P18 molecules act

" " " with chemotherapeutics " synergistically $ " such as cisplatin to allow biological activity in the nanomolar concentration range.

According to Dr O’Connor, “The next step " " in our research is to test this putative therapeutic in " an in-vivo setting so that we

can establish drug toxicity levels and anti-tumour efficacy�.

) / The collaborative project also involved

detected better We uptake

of the new

1

8 8

;

Conway Fellows, Professor William Gallagher (UCD School of Biomolecular & 4 " C and

Byrne Biomedical Science) Dr Annette

" < / " " " " four new " I am delighted to welcome

Fellows; Dr Philips, Conway Andrew Dr " " Le Fiona

McGillicuddy, Professor Carel % Roux and Professor Ron Pinhasi. I have

Director’s Message " " Welcome! $ Congratulations to Professors Mark " (" Crowe, Pat Guiry and Cormac Taylor who "

$ have been announced as newly elected

% . members of the Royal Irish Academy. " B ' Each has made significant contributions ' =3 to scholarly research as demonstrated ; 23 ;-research. public " A by their published This " % recognition of their academic excellence is

the highest academic honour in Ireland.

no doubt that they will forge successful

4 Institute collaborations with other and

members contribute fully to-+ the $

continued success of the Institute. " " The Institute will " celebrate a decade of

discovery and innovation in September

$ "

(Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and % UCD School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science), as well as researchers in Trinity ' (" College Dublin, Royal College of Surgeons " in Ireland and the Synthesis & "

Centre for " Chemical It was funded Biology. " through UCD Ad5 " Astra scholarship, the Higher / ' ' Education Authority PRTLI4 and

programme, Science Foundation Ireland. UCD Conway " imaging and " flow cytometry core " technologies were used during the course of % the research. & 6.

(" " Reference:

" " ! "

O’Connor S, et al. The anti-cancer activity of derived a cationic anti-microbial peptide from "

monomers of polyhydroxyalkanoate. Biomaterials (2013) http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.20 5 " %7 12.12.032

" " 8 + % + & 9 : 0 : : . . 1 1 + + : . : : ' (" ;% + ' % 23 3 / 22< ==*>,?@A >@

Uptake and localisation of biotinylated peptides

in HeLa cells. Cells were cultured in the presence of biotinylated-P18L. Cells are treated with two dyes separately: Streptavidin Texas Red binds to the Biotinylated peptide and MitoTrackerÂŽ Green stains mitochondria. Regions of yellow indicate where the red stained peptide co-locates with the green stained mitochondria in overlaid images.

" / 0 23 3% 0 " " " 2013 as we mark the anniversary of the " building opening to + researchers its doors " from across the UCD and affiliate campus hospitals. We hope to welcome back many " of the alumni to a special commemorative " event as part of the 2013 UCD Conway "

%

Festival of Research & Innovation (11-12 September 2013). B 4 :

-+ + Professor Walter Kolch0 " Director

<2:4 <7' ' ' 1 '0 / D;+-D E '0 /; 0+ D ; ; +&


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Conway Focus Issue 19 Summer 2013 by UCD Conway Institute - Issuu