Researchers collaborate to improve conventional cancer targeting strategies

When visualizing tumors or delivering targeted radiation therapy, clinicians use imaging methods to locate cancer cells. However, with the complex nature of tumors, it is often difficult to isolate and treat cancerous material, which poses an unnecessary risk to nearby healthy tissue and organs, hindering the efficacy and efficiency of radiation therapy.

Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL) member Hua Wang, associate professor of materials science and engineering, and Hanwen Zhang, associate professor of radiology at the Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University in St. Louis, collaborated to investigate this cancer targeting problem. Their research project, “Selective generation of clickable cellular targets on cancer cells in vivo for PET imaging and radiotherapy,” aims to enhance cancer targeting strategies.

“This project explores a natural process in cells, called metabolic glycoengineering, to create special chemical tags on the surface of immune cells and cancer cells,” Zhang said. “By placing these tags on T cells, scientists can monitor how these immune cells move and function in the body during immunotherapy. When applied to cancer cells, the same tags can help doctors visualize tumors more clearly with imaging and deliver radiation therapy more precisely.”

To support this project, the CCIL and Siteman Cancer Center each provided funding. The Siteman Investment Program RDA provides seed funding to faculty investigators with innovative cancer research ideas to generate data for future external grants.

“This funding offers the need that we proposed,” Zhang said. “With this support, we can purchase the research models and materials for this project, which allows me to generate some preliminary data in a year.”

The researchers aim to improve upon the conventional active targeting strategies for cancer cells through these chemical tags, which can be presented in a high density to the cancer cell surface without interfering with biological functions.

“This method can potentially result in a much higher targeting efficiency,” Zhang said. “On top of that, the complementary functional groups that react with cell-surface chemical tags have been considered to have reduced unintended immune reactions, as compared to antibodies that are used in conventional targeting approaches.”

Dr. Timothy M. Fan, Associate Director for Translational Research and Development at the CCIL, believes the project is one that is foundational to creating a cross-institutional hub for innovation.

“Professor Zhang is very focused on radiochemistry and Professor Wang is really an expert in material science and click chemistry,” Fan said. “They are beginning to show that they can create a theragnostic reagent that includes both of their expertises.”

Wang expressed his optimism about the collaboration and what it means for the future of their research as well as future partnership between the CCIL and Siteman Cancer Center.

“This seed grant provides a great opportunity for research collaboration with Prof. Zhang and his colleagues at Siteman Cancer Center and Washington University,” Wang said. “I am excited about this and other upcoming collaborations!”

Editor’s notes:

To contact Hua Wang, email him at huawang3@illinois.edu.

This story was written by Hailee Munno, CCIL Communications intern.