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Potential cancer treatment breakthrough with nanoporous acupuncture needles

October 31st, 2017
Potential cancer treatment breakthrough with nanoporous acupuncture needles
Surface images of (a) Conventional acupuncture needle (CN) and, (b) The nanoporous acupuncture needle (PN) with its (c and d) high resolution images. (e) Acupoints of rats used in this study. Credit: Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST)

Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) Professor Su-Il In's research team from the department of Energy Science and Engineering has presented the possibility treating cancer, including colorectal cancer, using acupuncture needles that deliver nanotechnology for the first time in the world.

The research team of Professor Su-Il In, through joint research with Dr. Eunjoo Kim of Companion Diagnostics & Medical Technology Research Group at DGIST and Professor Bong-Hyo Lee's research team from the College of Oriental Medicine at Daegu Haany University, has published a study showing that the molecular biologic indicators related to anticancer effects are changed only by the treatment of acupuncture, which is widely used in oriental medicine.

In oriental medicine, treatment using acupuncture needles has been commonly practiced for thousands of years in the fields of treating musculoskeletal disorders, pain relief, and addiction relief. Recently, it has emerged as a promising treatment for brain diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, nausea, and vomiting, and studies are under way to use acupuncture to treat severe diseases.

Not only that, Professor In's team discovered that acupuncture needles can be used for cancer treatment which is difficult to treat in modern medicine. In this study, the researchers developed nanoporous needles with microscopic holes in the surface of the needles ranging from nanopores (nm = one billionth of a meter) to micrometers (μm = one millionth of a meter) by applying relatively simple electrochemical nanotechnology. By increasing the surface area of the needle by a factor of ten, the nanoporous needles doubled the electrophysiological signal generation function by needle stimulus.

Potential cancer treatment breakthrough with nanoporous acupuncture needles
β-catenin expression in polyps found in the colons of maturation stage of CRC (positive control group, M8). (a) Polyps categorized as normal tissues, and (b) cancerous tumors. Images magnified at 40x. "No. 1" represents the respective region of animal #1, similarly 2 and 3 stand for animal #2 and animal #3, respectively. "N" and "Tu" stand for mean normal tissue and tumor diagnosed tissue, respectively. Credit: Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST)

As a result of AOM administration in rats, the rats receiving periodic acupuncture treatment with nanoporous needles were found to have a much lower incidence of abnormal vascular clusters as a precursor to colorectal cancer in the initiation stage than those in the control group.

In addition, the research team found that the expression level of β-Catenin, an indicator of maturation of colorectal cancer, was reduced in the maturation-stage of rats exposed to nanoporous needles for prolonged periods of time; thus, it has been shown that acupuncture treatment can affect the maturation rate of colorectal cancer in rats.

Professor Su-Il In of Energy Science and Engineering said, "This research, which combines nanotechnology and oriental medicine technology, is a scientific study that shows the possibility of using acupuncture as a method to treat severe diseases such as cancer. From now on, I will challenge the development of a new medical market by conducting a follow-up convergence study that identifies the potential benefits and efficacy of acupuncture."

Potential cancer treatment breakthrough with nanoporous acupuncture needles
β-catenin expression in cancerous polyps found in colons following acupuncture treatment. (a) M9 (acupuncture treatment using CN) and (b) M10 (acupuncture treatment using PN). All Images magnified at 40x. Credit: Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST)

More information:
Bo Ram Lee et al, Enhanced Therapeutic Treatment of Colorectal Cancer Using Surface-Modified Nanoporous Acupuncture Needles, Scientific Reports (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11213-0

Provided by DGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology)

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