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

New technique for testing drugs to treat cystic fibrosis and epilepsy

2013-11-26
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Glenn Harris
G.Harris@soton.ac.uk
44-023-805-93212
University of Southampton
New technique for testing drugs to treat cystic fibrosis and epilepsy

Researchers from the University of Southampton, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Quebec at Montreal, have developed a new microsystem for more efficient testing of pharmaceutical drugs to treat diseases such as cystic fibrosis, MG (myasthenia gravis) and epilepsy.

A large percentage of pharmaceutical drugs target ion channels, which are proteins found in a cell's membrane, that play a pivotal role in these serious disorders and that are used to test the effectiveness of new drugs.

Ion channels create tiny openings in the membrane for specific ions (atoms that are positively or negatively charged) to pass through.

Currently researchers use electrophysiology, which measures an electric current through ion channel proteins, to evaluate the effectiveness of drugs on ion channels.

However, this can be a slow and expensive process as it is typically carried out using ion channels in living cell membranes.

Now, Southampton researchers have been able to produce an ion channel without using cells, which is possible with so-called cell-free expression mixtures, and to insert the channels in a stable artificial cell membrane which should enable faster, less expensive drug testing. The key is that the cell-free expression mixture, which is known to destabilise these membranes, can actually help with incorporating the produced channels into a membrane between two microdroplets.

This combination of molecular biology and microtechnology transformed the conventional multi-day, multi-step single ion-channel electrophysiology method into a quick and economical process.

"By putting the ion channel into an artificial membrane, we only have one type of channel, no living cells and a relatively inexpensive method for testing for several of these types of channels at once," says lead author of the study Dr Maurits de Planque of the Nano Research Group in Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton.

"Researchers have experimented with cell-free mixtures before, but they found that this method was not economical due to the amount of expensive biochemicals required," adds Dr de Planque. "Our proposal to develop a new platform, which uses a couple of microlitres instead of millilitres, will be a very cost-effective way of doing this, particularly when the produced channel is directly inserted in a membrane for drug testing."

Study co-author, Biological Sciences lecturer Dr Philip Williamson, from the University's Institute for Life Sciences, says: "This new technology opens up avenues for drug screening, identifying new leads and identifying off target effects. Off target effects are a major complication in the development of new drugs, and many are withdrawn from late stage clinical trials due to cardiotoxic effects arising from the inhibition of the hERG voltage gated ion channel in the heart. The hERG channel coordinates cardiac rhythm and the availability of cheap and reliable assays to identify these interactions early will help streamline the drug discovery process."



INFORMATION:

The study 'Single-channel electrophysiology of cell-free expressed ion channels by direct incorporation in lipid bilayers', which appears in the RSC journal Analyst, is in collaboration with biological scientists in the University's Institute for Life Sciences.

The research has been funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

No qualms about quantum theory

2013-11-26
No qualms about quantum theory Study sets out to demystify a selected set of objections targeted against quantum theory in the literature A colloquium paper published in EPJ D looks into the alleged issues associated with quantum theory. Berthold-Georg Englert ...

Red Squirrels showing resistance to squirrelpox

2013-11-26
Red Squirrels showing resistance to squirrelpox A study by the University of Liverpool has found that the red squirrel population along the Sefton coastline appears to be recovering from a serious outbreak of squirrelpox in 2008. Researchers from the University, ...

Guard dogs reduce killing of threatened species

2013-11-26
Guard dogs reduce killing of threatened species In a paper published in Wildlife Society Bulletin, entitled Perceived Efficacy of Livestock-Guarding Dogs in South Africa: Implications for Cheetah Conservation, researchers from the University's School of Anthropology ...

How can we measure the value and impact of orthopaedic care?

2013-11-26
How can we measure the value and impact of orthopaedic care? Needham, MA –Healthcare expenditures currently account for 18% of the United States Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Some experts have suggested that an emphasis on value may be an effective strategy ...

Medical research needs kids, but two-thirds of parents unaware of opportunities

2013-11-26
Medical research needs kids, but two-thirds of parents unaware of opportunities Almost half of parents said they'd allow their children to take part if their child had the disease being studied, according to U-M's National Poll on Children's Health ANN ...

Vanderbilt study finds limited resources for injured surgeons

2013-11-26
Vanderbilt study finds limited resources for injured surgeons Nearly half of orthopaedic surgeons sustain at least one injury during their career and, in many cases, the resources available to them are inadequate, according to a Vanderbilt ...

High-fat diet during puberty speeds up breast cancer development

2013-11-26
High-fat diet during puberty speeds up breast cancer development New findings show that eating a high-fat diet beginning at puberty speeds up the development of breast cancer and may actually increase the risk of cancer similar to a type often found ...

Memo to big box retailers: Goodwill has a shelf life

2013-11-26
Memo to big box retailers: Goodwill has a shelf life New Columbia Business School study says a time delay between payment and consumption can reverse the positive effects a discount provides consumers NEW YORK — Big box retailers may have had the secret to combatting ...

Researchers at Penn uncover mechanism behind blood stem cells' longevity

2013-11-26
Researchers at Penn uncover mechanism behind blood stem cells' longevity The blood stem cells that live in bone marrow are at the top of a complex family tree. Such stem cells split and divide down various pathways that ultimately produce red cells, white cells ...

Google Earth reveals untold fish catches

2013-11-26
Google Earth reveals untold fish catches Large fish traps in the Persian Gulf could be catching up to six times more fish than what's being officially reported, according to the first investigation of fish catches from space conducted by University ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Thirty-year mystery of dissonance in the “ringing” of black holes explained

Less intensive works best for agricultural soil

Arctic rivers project receives “national champion” designation from frontiers foundation

Computational biology paves the way for new ALS tests

Study offers new hope for babies born with opioid withdrawal syndrome

UT, Volkswagen Group of America celebrate research partnership

New Medicare program could dramatically improve affordability for cancer drugs – if patients enroll

Are ‘zombie’ skin cells harmful or helpful? The answer may be in their shapes

University of Cincinnati Cancer Center presents research at AACR 2025

Head and neck, breast, lung and survivorship studies headline Dana-Farber research at AACR Annual Meeting 2025

AACR: Researchers share promising results from MD Anderson clinical trials

New research explains why our waistlines expand in middle age

Advancements in muon detection: Taishan Antineutrino Observatory's innovative top veto tracker

Chips off the old block

Microvascular decompression combined with nerve combing for atypical trigeminal neuralgia

Cutting the complexity from digital carpentry

Lung immune cell type “quietly” controls inflammation in COVID-19

Fiscal impact of expanded Medicare coverage for GLP-1 receptor agonists to treat obesity

State and sociodemographic trends in US cigarette smoking with future projections

Young adults drive historic decline in smoking

NFCR congratulates Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. on receiving the AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research

Chimpanzee stem cells offer new insights into early embryonic development

This injected protein-like polymer helps tissues heal after a heart attack

FlexTech inaugural issue launches, pioneering interdisciplinary innovation in flexible technology

In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, connectivity

Methyl eugenol: potential to inhibit oxidative stress, address related diseases, and its toxicological effects

A vascularized multilayer chip reveals shear stress-induced angiogenesis in diverse fluid conditions

AI helps unravel a cause of Alzheimer's disease and identify a therapeutic candidate

Coalition of Autism Scientists critiques US Department of Health and Human Services Autism Research Initiative

Structure dictates effectiveness, safety in nanomedicine

[Press-News.org] New technique for testing drugs to treat cystic fibrosis and epilepsy