Birgit Spänkuch

Publications (26) View all

• Article: Identification and validation of a potent type II inhibitor of inactive polo-like kinase 1.

  Sarah Keppner, Ewgenij Proschak, Gisbert Schneider, Birgit Spänkuch
  ChemMedChem 09/2009; 4(11):1806-9. · 3.15 Impact Factor
• Article: Uptake of plasmid-loaded nanoparticles in breast cancer cells and effect on Plk1 expression.

  Isabel Steinhauser, Klaus Langer, Klaus Strebhardt, Birgit Spänkuch
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  ABSTRACT: The development of nucleic acid-based drugs for cancer therapeutic application has shown promising results in the past. However the delivery of these drugs to target cells is one problem which remains to be resolved. Nanoparticles have been described as promising strategies to deliver drugs into target cells. Human serum albumin (HSA) nanoparticles conjugated to trastuzumab for a cell type-specific targeting of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-overexpressing cells were developed with incorporated expression plasmids for small hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) targeting polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1). Plk1 is a promising target for such an approach because it is overexpressed in all known cancer types and is a negative prognostic factor. Receptor-mediated uptake of the trastuzumab-modified nanoparticles into HER2-positive cells could be observed leading to reduced Plk1 expression. Taken together, HSA nanoparticles represent promising tools to deliver expression plasmids for shRNAs into target cells and should be further evaluated with regard to a therapeutic application of RNA interference in cancer therapy.
  Journal of Drug Targeting 08/2009; 17(8):627-37. · 2.70 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: Ewgenij Proschak

  Article: Identification of Plk1 type II inhibitors by structure-based virtual screening

  S Keppner, E Proschak, G Schneider, B Spänkuch
  Chemistry Central Journal. 01/2009;
• Article: Demands on caring relatives of head and neck cancer patients.

  Mehran Baghi, Jens Wagenblast, Markus Hambek, Andreas Radeloff, Wolfgang Gstoettner, Agmal Scherzed, Birgit Spaenkuch, Juping Yuan, Stefan Hornung, Klaus Strebhardt, Rainald Knecht
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  ABSTRACT: Relatives of cancer patients experience high levels of stress that influence the quality of life of these individuals. To investigate whether there is a necessity for simultaneous supportive care of patient relatives, we performed for the first time a study asking the closest relatives of head and neck cancer patients about their needs during and after the treatment to consider how to optimize the situation for such patient groups. Patients' relatives were assessed using an anonymous self-report questionnaire that was established in our department by expanding on a questionnaire for cancer patients' relatives from the psycho-oncologic society in Switzerland. The evaluation was multidimensional, cancer specific, and relative based. Relatives feel confronted themselves with cancer, although indirectly. The majority of the respondents were of the opinion that simultaneous psychological care of the patients and for the caring relatives would be helpful to cope with the situation. This study shows the significant impact of cancer on caring relatives of head and neck cancer patients. In our opinion, health services should become more aware of this potential to ensure that the needs of the involved patient relatives are met as well as those of the patients.
  The Laryngoscope 05/2007; 117(4):712-6. · 1.75 Impact Factor
• Article: Combinatorial application of nucleic acid-based agents targeting protein kinases for cancer treatment.

  B Spänkuch, K Strebhardt
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  ABSTRACT: The progress made in cancer biology, genetics and biotechnology has led to a major transition in cancer drug design and development, from an emphasis on non-specific, cytotoxic agents to specific, molecular-targeted smart cancer drugs. Many of these targeted agents have shown to have improved selectivity for cancer versus normal cells and are associated with better anti-tumor efficacy and lower toxicity. The new generation of anti-cancer drugs requires low concentrations and minimizes unwanted side effects. Their use leads to enhanced anti-cancer effects and to a reduction of chemotherapy resistance. Still, resistance to common chemotherapeutic agents is a major obstacle in cancer treatment. Silencing of cancer-relevant genes is a challenging strategy to reduce resistance and to sensitize cancer cells towards anti-neoplastic agents. Resistance can be an intrinsic problem of the tumor or can be acquired during the life time of the tumor. A fascinating species of anti-cancer drugs include antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) or small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) which are able to specifically down-regulate the expression of the target genes. The combination of nucleic acid-based agents with anti-neoplastic drugs can induce synergistic induction of cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and reduced cell proliferation in vitro or tumor growth in vivo. These two strategies (ASOs and siRNAs) will help to improve current therapeutic regimens. In addition, the combination of targeted drugs with common chemotherapeutic agents might be able to make resistant cells again sensitive towards a chemotherapeutic agent.
  Current pharmaceutical design 02/2008; 14(11):1098-112. · 4.41 Impact Factor