Eye drops made from pig semen deliver cancer treatment to mice

"The eye drops contain exosomes - tiny particles released by almost every type of cell - engineered to carry molecules that kill cancer cells. Mice treated with the eye drops showed signs that the tumours had stopped growing."

"The team used exosomes derived from semen because the particles enable sperm to penetrate the female reproductive tract. In studies with human corneal cells, the researchers determined that the exosomes from pig semen can open and close tight junctions."

"The researchers loaded the exosomes with a 'nanozyme system', containing carbon dots, manganese dioxide and glucose oxidase, to attack the cancer. When applied to the eye, the exosomes selectively penetrated tumour cells."

Eye drops developed from pig semen have shown promise in stopping tumor growth in the retina and preserving vision in mice. These drops contain engineered exosomes that deliver cancer-killing molecules while minimizing damage to healthy eye tissue. The technique allows for effective drug delivery across the retina barrier, which could also be applied to other challenging barriers like the blood-brain barrier. The exosomes can open tight junctions in corneal cells, enhancing their ability to target tumor cells effectively.

Read at Nature