TNF-related apoptotic-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a naturally-occurring cytokine that assists in initiating the extrinsic apoptotic process. TRAIL is a useful aspect of cancer therapy due to its death receptor binding properties for DR4 and DR5. This must be taken into account when engineering targeted treatments so normal, healthy tissue is not targeted and subsequently destroyed. ONC201, a hydrophilic small molecule, regulates the expression of TRAIL and can be put inside a liposome and transported into pancreatic adenocarcinomas. In an effort to regulate the specificity of this therapy, receptors as well as antibodies can be incorporated into the surface of the liposome that bind to pancreatic adenocarcinoma-specific antigens, such as MUC-1 and CA 19-9. In this way, a more resistant, targeted treatment for this cancer can be developed.
Comments
Well-written
Overall, your paragraph was well-written. You set out your thoughts logically and were able to communicate alot in such few words. I can't seem to find any faults to point out from your work. Well done!
Due to the cutting edge
Due to the cutting edge technology being referenced here, and the goal of this class project being to create a novel cancer treatment, it is important to distinguish what has already been done versus what is your novel idea. When you say "ONC201...can be put inside a liposome and transported into pancreatic adenocarcinomas," you should either cite a paper in which this was done, or be clear that this is your novel idea.
Expanding a Little More Helps with Comprehension
Overall the paragraph is very strong and very well written. My biggest concern was how some parts are just abbreviations, and the reader is left to try and interpret what they mean. Of course, a paragraph like this is most likely going to be read by someone who is in the field, so maybe they're unnecessary. But something like "DR4" and "DR5" has no meaning to people like me, who read this and have a shallow understanding of protein binding sites/molecular biology in general.