title: Pulsed laser light forces cancer cells to absorb anticancer drugs--the role of water in nanomedicine.
abstract: Anticancer drugs executing their function intracellularly enter cancer cells via diffusive processes. Complementary to these slow processes, cells can be forced to incorporate drugs by convection - a more efficient transport process. Transmembrane convection is induced by moderately intense pulsed laser light (or light emitting diodes) changing the structure of nanoscopic water layers in cells. This is a fundamental difference with the method of photodynamic therapy. In a model system we demonstrate that a total irradiation time of one minute is sufficient to completely inhibit proliferation of cancer cells. Transmembrane convection protects healthy cells from extended chemotherapy exposure, could be exploited to overcome multidrug resistance, and is a promising new tool in a variety of therapies as well as in skin rejuvenation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Micro and Nanomaterials, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany. andrei.sommer@uni-ulm.de
authors.forename: Andrei P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Sommer
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Adam R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Mester
authors.forename: Horst-Dieter
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Försterling
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000528:radiation effects; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000528:radiation effects; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000528:radiation effects; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy; D050997:Nanomedicine / Q000639:trends; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014867:Water