Gene-altering moisturiser to fight skin cancer

HEALTH FLASH

   Scientists have supercharged moisturiser with gene-regulation technology to tackle skin cancer. In case of skin conditions like melanoma, treatments that are applied directly to the skin are the ideal drug solution as they are easy to use and affect only the area under which they are applied. 

    Researchers Amy Paller and Chad Mirkin coated tiny gold spheres with small interfering RNA (siRNA) — tiny pieces of nucleic acid that appear to penetrate the barrier and enter skin cells through an as yet unspecified pathway. 
    The siRNA is selected to target one of the genes responsible for making cancer cells grow quickly, called epidermal growth factor receptor. "Nanoparticles are an all-in-one solution," said Paller and Mirkin who mixed the drug with shop-bought moisturiser and applied it to mouse skin. They found that not only did the nanoparticles penetrate the skin, but they also targeted the intended gene without causing toxicity or other side effects in the surrounding skin.