PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Nanopore opens new cellular doorway for drug transport

2013-10-23
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Giovanni Maglia
giovanni.maglia@chem.kuleuven.be
32-163-27696
KU Leuven
Nanopore opens new cellular doorway for drug transport

A living cell is built with barriers to keep things out – and researchers are constantly trying to find ways to smuggle molecules in.‬ ‪Professor Giovanni Maglia (Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, KU Leuven) and his team have engineered a biological nanopore that acts as a selective revolving door through a cell's lipid membrane. The nanopore could potentially be used in gene therapy and targeted drug delivery.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

All living cells are enclosed by a lipid membrane that separates the interior of the cell from the outside environment. The influx of molecules through the cell membrane is tightly regulated by membrane proteins that act as specific doorways for the trafficking of ions and nutrients. Membrane proteins can also be used by cells as weapons. Such proteins attack a cell by making holes – nanopores – in 'enemy' cell membranes. Ions and molecules leak from the holes, eventually causing cell death.‬‬

‪Researchers are now trying to use nanopores to smuggle DNA or proteins across membranes. Once inside a cell, the DNA molecule could re-programme the cell for a particular action. Professor Maglia explains: "‪We are now able to engineer biological nanopores, but the difficult part is to precisely control the passage of molecules through the nanopores' doorways. We do not want the nanopore to let everything in. Rather, we want to limit entry to specific genetic information in specific cells." ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

‪Professor Maglia and his team succeeded in engineering a nanopore that works like a revolving door for DNA molecules. "We have introduced a selective DNA revolving door atop of the nanopore. Specific DNA keys in solution hybridise to the DNA door and are transported across the nanopore. A second DNA key on the other side of the nanopore then releases the desired genetic information. A new cycle can then begin with another piece of DNA – as long as it has the correct key. In this way, the nanopore acts simultaneously as a filter and a conveyor belt." ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

"In other words, we have engineered a selective transport system that can be used in the future to deliver medication into the cell. This could be of particular use in gene therapy, which involves introducing genetic material into degenerated cells in order to disable or re-programme them. It could also be used in targeted drug delivery, which involves administering medication directly into the cell. The possibilities are promising."‬‬



INFORMATION:

The researchers' findings were published in a recent edition of Nature Communications.



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New software traces origins of genetic disorders 20 times more accurately

2013-10-23
New software traces origins of genetic disorders 20 times more accurately In a bioinformatics breakthrough, iMinds – STADIUS – KU Leuven researchers have successfully applied advanced artificial intelligence to enable the automated analysis of huge amounts of ...

Insights into how TB tricks the immune system could help combat the disease

2013-10-23
Insights into how TB tricks the immune system could help combat the disease Researchers have identified a potential way to manipulate the immune system to improve its ability to fight off tuberculosis (TB). TB is a major problem for both humans and ...

Communication with similar people stronger than believed

2013-10-23
Communication with similar people stronger than believed People's tendency to communicate with similar people is stronger than earlier believed, which restricts the flow of information and ideas in social networks. These are the findings that an Aalto University ...

People don't put a high value on climate protection

2013-10-23
People don't put a high value on climate protection Without further incentives selfish behavior will continue to dominate This news release is available in German. People are bad at getting a grip on collective risks. Climate change is a good ...

Long-term memory helps chimpanzees in their search for food

2013-10-23
Long-term memory helps chimpanzees in their search for food Searching for bountiful fruit crops in the rain forest, chimpanzees remember past feeding experiences This news release is available in German. Where do you go when the fruits in ...

Study finds natural compound can be used for 3-D printing of medical implants

2013-10-23
Study finds natural compound can be used for 3-D printing of medical implants Researchers from North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Laser Zentrum Hannover have discovered that a naturally-occurring compound ...

PD map: Putting together the pieces of the Parkinson's puzzle

2013-10-23
PD map: Putting together the pieces of the Parkinson's puzzle LCSB researchers pool global knowledge in interactive map Parkinson's disease continues to puzzle physicians and biologists alike - even though it is well-established that symptoms like muscle tremors, ...

Super song learners

2013-10-23
Super song learners Researchers uncover a mechanism for improving song learning in juvenile zebra finches This news release is available in German. Most songbirds learn their songs from an adult model, mostly from the father. However, there are relatively ...

Tailored doses of cytostatic improve survival rate

2013-10-23
Tailored doses of cytostatic improve survival rate Clinical study conducted in children with chronic immune deficiency disorder Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, and colleagues at University Children's Hospital Zürich in Switzerland have managed to improve ...

Dolphins inspire new radar system to detect hidden surveillance and explosive devices

2013-10-23
Dolphins inspire new radar system to detect hidden surveillance and explosive devices Inspired by the way dolphins hunt using bubble nets, scientists at the University of Southampton, in collaboration with University College London and Cobham Technical Services, ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

iRECODE: A new computational method that brings clarity to single-cell analysis

New NUS-MOH study: Singapore’s healthcare sector carbon emissions 18% lower than expected, a milestone in the city-state’s net zero journey

QUT scientists create material to turn waste heat into clean power

Major new report sets out how to tackle the ‘profound and lasting impact’ of COVID-19 on cardiovascular health

Cosmic crime scene: White dwarf found devouring Pluto-like icy world

Major report tackles Covid’s cardiovascular crisis head-on

A third of licensed GPs in England not working in NHS general practice

ChatGPT “thought on the fly” when put through Ancient Greek maths puzzle

Engineers uncover why tiny particles form clusters in turbulent air

GLP-1RA drugs dramatically reduce death and cardiovascular risk in psoriasis patients

Psoriasis linked to increased risk of vision-threatening eye disease, study finds

Reprogramming obesity: New drug from Italian biotech aims to treat the underlying causes of obesity

Type 2 diabetes may accelerate development of multiple chronic diseases, particularly in the early stages, UK Biobank study suggests

Resistance training may improve nerve health, slow aging process, study shows

Common and inexpensive medicine halves the risk of recurrence in patients with colorectal cancer

SwRI-built instruments to monitor, provide advanced warning of space weather events

Breakthrough advances sodium-based battery design

New targeted radiation therapy shows near-complete response in rare sarcoma patients

Does physical frailty contribute to dementia?

Soccer headers and brain health: Study finds changes within folds of the brain

Decoding plants’ language of light

UNC Greensboro study finds ticks carrying Lyme disease moving into western NC

New implant restores blood pressure balance after spinal cord injury

New York City's medical specialist advantage may be an illusion, new NYU Tandon research shows

Could a local anesthetic that doesn’t impair motor function be within reach?

1 in 8 Italian cetacean strandings show evidence of fishery interactions, with bottlenose and striped dolphins most commonly affected, according to analysis across four decades of data and more than 5

In the wild, chimpanzees likely ingest the equivalent of several alcoholic drinks every day

Warming of 2°C intensifies Arctic carbon sink but weakens Alpine sink, study finds

Bronze and Iron Age cultures in the Middle East were committed to wine production

Indian adolescents are mostly starting their periods at an earlier age than 25 years ago

[Press-News.org] Nanopore opens new cellular doorway for drug transport