NanoParticles in the Bloodstream
10.28.04
Molecule-size sensors inside astronauts' cells could warn of health impacts from space radiation.
Wouldn't it be nice if the cells in your body would simply tell you when you're starting to get sick, long before symptoms appear? Or alert you when a tumor is growing, while it's still microscopic and harmless? --The ability to detect changes inside of individual cells while those cells are still inside your body would be a boon to medicine. NASA-supported scientists are developing a technology right now that could, if it works, do exactly that.--The scientists don't actually coax the cells into talking, of course. The idea is to place "nanoparticles" inside the cells to function as molecule-size sensors. Whenever these sensors encounter certain signs of trouble -- a fragment of an invading virus perhaps -- they would begin to glow, signaling the outside world that something is wrong.[F1]--It's an elegant technology, and because it can be customized to target many combinations of specific cell types and specific problems[F2], it's also a very potent one. Research on nanoparticles has blossomed in recent years, with scientists exploring how they can be used to treat everything from cancer to genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis. NASA is interested in how this technology might help tackle another health issue-- radiation exposure.-One of the main hurdles for a mission to Mars is the radiation dose that astronauts would receive during their 6-month journey there. The spaceship would be shielded, but the best radiation shields NASA has now might not fully protect the astronauts. So scientists are looking for medical ways to monitor, prevent, and repair the ill effects of radiation. To make the challenge even harder, these solutions must work well in space, where astronauts must be able to treat themselves, and where there's little spare room for bulky medical equipment.-James Baker, director of the Center for Biologic Nanotechnology at the University of Michigan, believes that nanoparticles can help. His research group has received a grant from NASA to look into it. "Nanoparticles let us monitor the actual biological impact of radiation on the astronauts' bodies, which is more meaningful than simply measuring the radiation itself," Baker explains. [F3]
Above: Nanoparticles are larger than typical molecules but smaller than viruses. (They're labeled 'nanoscopic' in this diagram). They're similar in size to many proteins, which is part of the reason the can operate well inside of cells. Image courtesy University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.---Picture this: Before a space mission, an astronaut uses a hypodermic needle to inject a clear fluid, laced with nanoparticles, into his bloodstream. During flight, he puts a small device in his ear. This device, shaped like a hearing aide, uses a tiny laser to count glowing cells as they flow through capillaries in the eardrum. A wireless link relays those data to the spaceship's main computer for processing.--This sci-fi scenario is still at least 5 to 10 years away, but a lot of the necessary pieces are already taking shape in the laboratory[F4].--That clear fluid injected into the astronaut's bloodstream would contain millions of microscopic nanoparticles. The nanoparticles themselves are nothing new: Scientists have been using them in the laboratory for at least 5 years, and they have employed them safely in lab animals.--The particular kind of nanoparticle that Baker uses resembles tumbleweed: a little ball-shaped bundle of branching "twigs" growing out from a central point. –
By itself, this tumbleweed is inert. (That's good: it means it's not toxic.) It only serves as a generic platform upon which to build. All the useful functions of the nanoparticle -- seeking out the right kind of cells, detecting signs of radiation damage, offering up a fluorescent "red flag" -- come from molecules attached onto this scaffolding. The free ends of the twigs provide lots of binding points where these molecules can be attached (128 locations with the nanoparticles Baker's group uses)[F5].
Right: The nanoparticles that Baker's group uses are called 'dendrimers,' and are built up by adding branching segments around a central core. Image courtesy University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. [More]--Choosing which molecules to attach is how scientists customize the nanoparticle to do their bidding. For example, Baker's group wants to tweak their nanoparticles to enter a kind of white blood cell called a lymphocyte, which is especially sensitive to radiation.--"How do we specifically target lymphocytes?" asks Thommey Thomas, a research assistant professor on Baker's team. "Because once you inject nanoparticles into the bloodstream they can go anywhere, right?"--"We had to find some specific targeting molecules on the surface of these lymphocytes," he explains.--All of the body's cells naturally have "receptor" molecules embedded on their outer surfaces. These receptors control which chemicals can enter the cell: for example, a kidney hormone in the bloodstream only enters kidney cells. By attaching a molecule to their nanoparticles that matches up with a specific receptor on lymphocytes, the researchers assure that these roaming nanoparticles wind up inside only the right cells[F6].--Left: James Baker, director of the Center for Biologic Nanotechnology at the University of Michigan. [More]--Once inside the lymphocytes, nanoparticles need a way to detect radiation damage. One way is to watch for signs that the cell is about to self-destruct. Lymphocytes commit cellular suicide (called "apoptosis") when they've been damaged by radiation. This is a genetically programmed behavior carried out by special "suicide" enzymes. Baker's group has discovered how to attach to the nanoparticles a fluorescent dye molecule that reacts to these suicide enzymes. [F7]Lymphocytes beginning to self-destruct due to radiation damage would glow.--The research group has also developed a laser system to count the glowing cells. They've already shown that it can count cells in a mouse's bloodstream as those cells pass through the capillaries in its ear, but Baker says it's still too early to know what form this laser system would take for a space mission--maybe a micro-laser integrated into a hearing-aide-like device, he speculates.--The net result: continuous, real-time monitoring of radiation damage to the cells in an astronaut's bloodstream -- no bulky medical equipment required.
More Information
Center for Biologic Nanotechnology -- home page for the group at the University of Michigan performing the research discussed in this article
Voyage of the Nano-surgeons -- (Science@NASA) NASA-funded scientists are crafting microscopic vessels that can venture into the human body and repair problems -- one cell at a time.
Can People Go to Mars? -- (Science@NASA) Space radiation between Earth and Mars poses a hazard to astronauts. How dangerous is it out there? NASA scientists are working to find out.
Dr. James Baker -- biographical sketch for the director of the Center for Biologic Nanotechnology
*****************************************************************************************************************************************************
Scientists resolve debate over how many bacteria fight off invaders
Date:May 7, 2015
Source:Rockefeller University
Every inch of our body, inside and out, is oozing with bacteria. In fact, the human body carries 10 times the number of bacterial cells as human cells. Many are our friends, helping us digest food and fight off infections, for instance. But much about these abundant organisms, upon which our life depends, remains mysterious. In research reported May 7 in Cell, scientists at Rockefeller finally crack the code of a fundamental process bacteria use to defend themselves against invaders.--For years, researchers have puzzled over conflicting results about the workings of a type of immune system found in many species of bacteria. Some data showed that, when a virus invaded a bacterial cell, this mechanism -- known as type III CRISPR-Cas -- would target the virus's DNA, preventing it from adopting the bacteria's machinery in order to copy itself and infect more bacteria. But other experiments suggested type III CRISPR-Cas could only disable a virus by cleaving the viral RNA.--Luciano Marraffini and Poulami Samai, both at Rockefeller, wanted to get to the bottom of this puzzle. In their experiments, Samai, a postdoctoral fellow, tested the cleavage of DNA and RNA by the type III CRISPR-Cas system. But she added a key ingredient no one else had before, a protein known as RNA polymerase, which the cell uses to transcribe DNA to RNA. She and Marraffini, head of the Laboratory of Bacteriology, saw that CRISPR-Cas did, indeed, cleave the RNA produced from a virus's DNA -- but it would also cleave the virus's DNA.--There are advantages to such a two-pronged system, says Marraffini. Many viruses integrate into the genomes of the cells they infect and remain dormant, he says, causing no harm. In fact, these viruses can be beneficial to bacteria, by carrying toxins that help bacteria promote their own survival, for instance. The diphtheria toxin, for instance, is secreted by a species of bacteria, but the gene encoding the toxin comes from a virus. "By requiring viruses to begin transcribing their DNA into RNA before disabling them, the type III CRISPR-Cas system leaves dormant viruses intact, allowing them to continue benefiting the bacteria that host them," he notes.-Learning the details of how microbes carry out their functions can have important implications for health and science, Marraffini says. Besides being an incredibly abundant form of life on the planet, fueling the health and disease of every species and ecosystem, microbes have been the source of a number of technological tools that have revolutionized science and medicine.--"More than forty years ago, scientists discovered enzymes that cut DNA from studying the viruses that infect bacteria, inspiring a new class of tools that created a revolution in biomedicine," says Marraffini. Now, new technology based on another type of CRISPR-Cas is leading another wave in that revolution, allowing scientists to quickly and easily manipulate genomes in ways they never could before. "This is a testament to how the basic biology of microbes can be very useful. Microbes are a crucial part of biology on the planet, and it's important to understand how they work."--Story Source-The above story is based on materials provided by Rockefeller University. -Journal Reference-Luciano Marraffini et al. Co-transcriptional DNA and RNA Cleavage during Type III CRISPR-Cas Immunity. Cell, May 2015 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.04.027 show
*************************************************************************
Researchers follow zinc to uncover pathway that fine-tunes brain signaling
A study team led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine who used specially developed technologies to "follow the zinc" have uncovered a previously unknown pathway the brain uses to fine-tune neural signaling -- and that may play a role in Alzheimer's and other diseases. Their findings appear online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.--Scientists have long observed the presence of bubble-like vesicles that contain the neurotransmitter glutamate and zinc at the synapses, specialized contacts among neurons where neurotransmitters are released to propagate electrical signals through the brain. Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, but the need for synaptic zinc, an essential element that acts as a co-factor for many enzyme and regulatory proteins, has not been understood, said Thanos Tzounopoulos, Ph.D., associate professor in the Auditory Research Group, Department of Otolaryngology, Pitt School of Medicine.--"Until now, we haven't had the ability to quantify or follow zinc when it is released into the synaptic cleft," he said. "In this study, we employed new tools to do that and found a pathway that could be important for conditions such as Huntington's disease and Alzheimer's."Co-investigator Stephen Lippard, Ph.D., and his team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) developed an agent that fluoresces when it binds zinc, making it possible for the first time to measure zinc levels accurately and track the element's movements. They also created an agent that blocks zinc activity, thus allowing them to disrupt the metal's actions to determine its function.--The researchers learned that, indeed, zinc was released from vesicles and diffused from the release site. Surprisingly, it could bind to so-called extrasynaptic glutamate NMDA-type receptors, just like the neurotransmitter glutamate. Whereas glutamate activates these receptors, zinc inhibits them."Glutamate acts like an accelerator of neuronal activity, while zinc behaves like a brake that fine tunes that signal," Dr. Tzounopoulos said. "The receptors that zinc influences are thought to play a role in neurodegenerative diseases, so these findings could open new research avenues in the field."--Story Source-The above story is based on materials provided by University of Pittsburgh Schools of The Health Sciences. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.-Journal Reference-Charles T. Anderson, Robert J. Radford, Melissa L. Zastrow, Daniel Y. Zhang, Ulf-Peter Apfel, Stephen J. Lippard, Thanos Tzounopoulos. Modulation of extrasynaptic NMDA receptors by synaptic and tonic zinc. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2015; 201503348 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1503348112 --University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences. "Researchers follow zinc to uncover pathway that fine-tunes brain signaling." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 4 May 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150504154950.htm>.
*******************************************************************
Targeting cancer therapy with phosphoproteomics
Medulloblastomas (MB), the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor, originate from dysregulation of developmental signaling pathways. To discover important drug targets within these pathways, researchers have undertaken the first quantitative mass spectrometry-based phosphoproteomic approach to identify important phosphorylation events, using the Hh signaling pathway as the model.- Quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis was performed using SILAC (Stable Isotope Labeling with Amino acids in Cell culture), combined with strong cation exchange fractionation and phosphopeptide enrichment by immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC), followed by multiplexed quantitative mass spectrometry- The study revealed changes in phosphorylation of 94 proteins only 25 minutes after Shh exposure. Motif analysis revealed a novel and critical role for the kinase, CK2, in mediating 45 percent of all early phosphorylation events. Importantly, CK2 affects terminal Hh signaling components, circumventing challenges of emergence of resistance and a priori resistance commonly encountered with existing small molecule inhibitors developed for medulloblastoma. CK2 inhibitors demonstrated early and sustained inhibition of Hh signaling across several mammalian cell types, including MB cells. In vivo, mice harboring flank MB allografts derived from Ptch+/−;Tpr53−/− tumor harbouring a point mutation in Smo that renders them resistant to other Hh pathway inhibitors, showed near-complete cessation of tumor growth in response to TBB, a highly potent and selective inhibitor of CK2.-- This quantitative phosphoproteomic approach to Hh signaling has provided a perspective that was unattainable with previous transcription and genome-based efforts. This success using one pathway will set the foundation for others to apply a similar approach in different tumor initiating pathways.--Story Source-The above story is based on materials provided by American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.--American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). "Targeting cancer therapy with phosphoproteomics." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 6 May 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150506182709.htm>. This quantitative phosphoproteomic approach to Hh signaling has provided a perspective that was unattainable with previous transcription and genome-based efforts. This success using one pathway will set the foundation for others to apply a similar approach in different tumor initiating pathways.--Story Source-The above story is based on materials provided by American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.--American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). "Targeting
***********************************************************************
USDA Gives $3.8 Million in Grants to Develop and Promote Nanotech in Food
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is giving millions of dollars to universities across America for the development and study of nanotechnology to be used in food.--Despite research existing on the potential concerns over health and safety of nanotech in food, the USDA wants to push forward with nanotech in full force. This agency of the government is known for its revolving door relationship with Big Food.--A statement from the Center for Food Safety sums up the health concerns well--“The subject of nanotechnology and our food supply offers an alarming view of the potential for human health issues. Amazingly, the U.S. government currently does not regulate the use of nanotechnology in food products, despite its widespread use and serious public health concerns. Europe and the Canadian government have taken the first steps to limit the use of nanotechnology in food, but the U.S. has so far only issued draft guidelines to companies.”--So what is this nanotechnology exactly? That’s a complicated question. According to the USDA, “Nanomaterials can occur naturally, for example in volcanic ash and ocean spray, and may also be incidental byproducts of human activity, such as homogenization or milling. They can also be produced intentionally with specific properties through certain chemical or physical processes.”--These intentionally created nanomaterials have been in use in the US food supply for over ten years — mostly in packaging and processing. According to UnderstandingNano.com,-“Clay nanocomposites are being used to provide an impermeable barrier to gasses such as oxygen or carbon dioxide in lightweight bottles, cartons and packaging films. Storage bins are being produced with silver nanoparticles embedded in the plastic. The silver nanoparticles kill bacteria[F1] from any material that was previously stored in the bins, minimizing health risks from harmful bacteria.”--Nanotech is increasingly being pursued for use directly in the food we eat, rather than just in the packaging. According to Popular Mechanics:“The most commonly used nanoparticle in foods is titanium dioxide. It’s used to make foods such as yogurt and coconut flakes look as white as possible, provide opacity to other food colorings, and prevent ingredients from caking up. Nanotech isn’t just about aesthetics, however. The biggest potential use for this method involves improving the nutritional value of foods.-“Nano additives can enhance or prevent the absorption of certain nutrients. In an email interview with Popular Mechanics, Jonathan Brown, a research fellow at the University of Minnesota, says this method could be used to make mayonnaise less fattening by replacing fat molecules with water droplets.”-There has been a 1000% increase in nanotech used for food since 2008 and is now being deployed by major companies including Kraft, General Mills, Hershey, Nestle, Mars, Unilever, Smucker’s and Albertsons.-This is where the $3.8 million in USDA grants come in. According to the PDF released by the USDA, the grants entail; “University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI $450,100 | Tailor polyanhydride nanoparticles to encapsulate and release antibiotics to protect shrimp against bacterial pathogens.”
“Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA $447,788 | Obtain a basic understanding of starch-nanoclay interactions in dispersion; evaluate the disintegration, release, and antimicrobial properties of cross-linked, crystallized, and iodine-loaded starch fibers; determine the effect of alignment and drawing on thermomechanical properties of starch fibers; and assess the feasibility of using a multi-jet electrospinning setup to scale the electrospinning process for starch fiber production.”
“Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ $450,000 | Complete a national survey that will examine the acceptance of food nanotechnology; assess consumers’ beliefs about the relationship of nanotechnology to healthfulness; evaluate acceptability of nanomaterials in functional foods and pet food applications; examine the acceptable characteristics of nano-enabled smart food packaging; assess use value of visuals communicating the potential for nanotechnology; and examine how consumers use visuals to interpret nanotechnology concepts.”
The Rutgers University grant reveals that the USDA will be funding market research to directly benefit the businesses seeking to manufacture and market nanotechnology for food.-What are the real implications of this? There’s one thing for sure; the element of power is a very necessary thing to consider. With all technology like this, monopolization and hierarchical structures are a potential problem. The USDA and other health oversight agencies have a long track record of approving controversial practices used in our food that later turn out to have deadly health and environmental impacts. Understanding the current players in the agro-tech business including Monsanto and Syngenta, you can see how this could end badly.-The implications of this are significant for the future of Agorism, sustainable food, independent agricultural business, monopolization of food, the health of the people consuming this food, and much more.-No one is saying that nanotech in food is inherently bad, but with the history of the organizations funding this technology, people are naturally suspicious. More research is needed and concerns must be addressed before nanotech in our food becomes our next big mistake.-Please share this with as many people as possible. It is relevant to everyone.-This article is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and TheAntiMedia.org. Tune in! The Anti-Media radio show airs Monday through Friday @ 11pm Eastern/8pm Pacific. Image credit: National Cancer Institute. Help us fix our typos: edits@theantimedia.org.
*****************************************************************************
Soft robot- Shaping itself and moving with own internally generated power
Date: May 5, 2015
Source: University of Pittsburgh
Summary:What if a new material would allow for development of a 'soft robot' that could reconfigure its own shape and move using its own internally generated power?
Time evolution of a rectangular SP-BZ gel in non-uniform light; time increases from (a) to (d). Both ends of the sample are exposed to light; the central circular region is not illuminated.
For decades, robots have advanced the efficiency of human activity. Typically, however, robots are formed from bulky, stiff materials and require connections to external power sources; these features limit their dexterity and mobility. But what if a new material would allow for development of a "soft robot" that could reconfigure its own shape and move using its own internally generated power?--By developing a new computational model, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering have designed a synthetic polymer gel that can utilize internally generated chemical energy to undergo shape-shifting and self-sustained propulsion. Their research was published April 30th in the journal Scientific Reports, published by Nature.--The authors are Anna C. Balazs, PhD, the Swanson School's Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering and the Robert v. d. Luft Professor; and Olga Kuksenok, PhD, --Research Associate Professor.--"Movement is a fundamental biological behavior, exhibited by the simplest cell to human beings. It allows organisms to forage for food or flee from predators. But synthetic materials typically don't have the capability for spontaneous mechanical action or the ability to store and use their own energy, factors that enable directed motion" Dr. Balazs said. "Moreover in biology, directed movement involves some form of shape changes, such as the expansion and contraction of muscles. So we asked whether we could mimic these basic interconnected functions in a synthetic system so that it could simultaneously change its shape and move."-As a simple example in nature, Drs. Balazs and Kuksenok use the single-celled organism euglena mutabilis, which processes energy to expand and contract its shape in order to move. To mimic the euglena's mobility, Drs. Balazs and Kuksenok looked to polymer gels containing spirobenzopyran (SP) since these materials can be morphed into different shapes with the use of light, and to Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) gels, a material first fabricated in the late 1990s that not only undergoes periodic pulsations, but also can be driven to move in the presence of light.-"The BZ gel encompasses an internalized chemical reaction so that when you supply reagents, this gel can undergo self-sustained motion," Dr. Kuksenok explains. "Although researchers have previously created polymer chains with both the SP and BZ functionality, this is the first time they were combined to explore the ability of "SP-BZ" gels to change shape and move in response to light."-As Balazs and Kuksenok noted, these systems are distinctive because they not only undergo self-bending or folding, but also self-propelled motion. Namely, the material integrates the powerful attributes of each of the components-the ability of SP-functionalized gels to be "molded" with light and the autonomous mechanical actions of the BZ gels.-According to Dr. Balazs, there were unexpected results during their research. "Uniform light exposure won't work. We had to place the light at the right place in order for the gel to move. And if we change the pattern of the light, the gel displays a tumbling motion.-"We also found that if we placed the SP in certain regions of the BZ gel and exposed this material to light, we could create new types of self-folding behavior." The next phase of the research will be to combine the patterning of the SP and BZ functionality in the gels with the patterning of the light to expand the polymer's repertoire of motion.--Dr. Balazs adds that these SP-BZ gels could enable the creation of small-scale soft robotics for microfluidic devices that can help carry out multi-stage chemical reactions.--"Scientists are interested in designing biomimetic systems that are dissipative -- they use energy to perform a function, much like our metabolism allows us to carry out different functions," she explained. "The next push in materials science is to mimic these internal metabolic processes in synthetic materials, and thereby, create human-made materials that take in energy, transform this energy and autonomously perform work, just as in biological systems."--The benefit of using polymer gels instead of metals and alloys to build a robot is that it greatly reduces its mass, improves its potential range of motion and allows for a more "graceful" device.--"To put it simply, in order for a robot to be able to move more autonomously in a more biomimetic way, it's better if it's soft and squishy," Dr. Kuksenok says. "It's ability to grab and carry something isn't impeded by non-flexible, hard edges. You'd also like its energy source incorporated into the design so that it's not carrying that as extra baggage. The SP-BZ gel is pointing us in that direction."--Story Source-The above story is based on materials provided by University of Pittsburgh. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.-Journal Reference-Olga Kuksenok, Anna C. Balazs. Designing Dual-functionalized Gels for Self-reconfiguration and Autonomous Motion. Scientific Reports, 2015; 5: 9569 DOI: 10.1038/srep09569
***********************************************************************
[F1]Including yours---brain damage—liver damage—skeletal damage-spleen damage and the oxidation of healthy cells throughout the body and the use with nanobots inside the body
[F2]NanoParticles—are a billionth in size—and with the intro on nano becoming incorporated in everything today the discarding and waste management of these particulates are becoming more prevalent
[F3]They are talking micron levels which is a millionth in size
[F4]In other words they had the social network they had in there homeland and that was transferred with them---so environmental factors then would have been minimized stress wise due to the network of the cultural connection---which the ones who have been assimilated would not have that type of support
And immigrants usually will stick together even if they are from differing countries—due to the social aspect
[F5]Studies done on what could get effected in the Body
[F6]So this will imply strongly we will need something more effective to reduce or remove these out of the body
[F7]Best to avoid any and all products made with any nano compostions—since there is no way to prevent the harmful effects—that so far can be determined
[F8]Interesting ---a explosion and the reactor is in safe stable –hmm I am reall y impressed with this fantasy
[F9]I am again impressed
[F10]Seems to me it was not exactly ready---potential sabotage??just a thought
