Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a technique to simultaneously treat lung cancer and the severe muscle-wasting condition that often accompanies it.
This study controlled release journalcontaining lipid nanoparticles that deliver therapeutic genetic material to lung tumors.
Scientists led by Oleh Taraula and Yoon Tae Goo from the OSU College of Pharmacy showed in a mouse model that a type of nanocarrier loaded with follistatin messenger RNA can accumulate within tumors. Once there, the mRNA prompts the cell to make follistatin protein. Follistatin protein plays an important role in both tumor suppression and promoting muscle tissue growth.
Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are administered intravenously and reach the lungs thanks to vitronectin, another protein found in the serum. Lipids are fatty acids and similar organic compounds, including many natural oils and waxes. Nanoparticles are tiny pieces of material that range in size from one billionth of a meter to one hundred billionth of a meter.
We found that these LNPs were induced into lung cancer tumors by binding to vitronectin in the bloodstream and interacting with integrin receptors overexpressed on the tumor surface. ”
Written by Taraura OSU College of Pharmacy
Integrin receptors are like bridges that regulate how cells respond to their surrounding environment.
“Systemic delivery of mRNA therapeutics to lung cancer tumors is a major challenge in our field, and this study provides a promising solution,” said Taratula. “Compared to conventional LNPs, which tend to accumulate in the liver when administered systemically, our approach achieved an approximately 2.5-fold reduction in tumor burden.”
Lung cancer is the third most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in the United States (most common is skin cancer, followed by prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women).
The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be approximately 230,000 new cases of lung cancer and approximately 125,000 deaths from lung cancer in the United States this year. Overall, about 5% of people will develop lung cancer. Smokers are at higher risk.
Lung cancer is often accompanied by a debilitating muscle wasting syndrome known as cachexia, which kills as many as 30% of cancer patients. People with cachexia lose weight even when they eat, and they lose not only fat but also muscle mass.
“By loading our LNPs with follistatin mRNA, we have developed a treatment that simultaneously targets lung cancer and cancer cachexia without side effects,” Professor Taratula said. “Although further preclinical studies are needed, we are very encouraged by the results we have seen so far and hope that human trials will occur in the near future.”
Vladislav Grigoriev, Tetiana Korzun, Ammar Salem, Kongbrailatpam Shitaljit Sharma, Prem Singh, Chrissa Kioussi and Olena Taratula from the Faculty of Pharmacy also contributed to the study, as did Daniel Marks from Endevica Bio, a company developing peptide therapies.
The research was supported by the National Cancer Institute, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Development, and the National Research Foundation of Korea.
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Reference magazines:
Mr. Gu, Mr. YT, Others. (2026). Endogenous targeting lipid nanoparticles for systemic mRNA delivery to lung cancer tumors. Controlled Release Journal. DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2026.114870. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168365926002725?via%3Dihub
