New Nanoparticle Could Provide Simple Early Diagnosis Of Many Diseases 62
Researchers have created a new nanoparticle that could someday act as a virtually all-purpose diagnostic tool to detect many inflammatory diseases in their earliest stages, including heart disease, Alzheimer's, and arthritis. The specially-designed nanoparticles seek out hydrogen peroxide (thought to be overproduced in trace amounts in the early stages of most diseases that involve some sort of chronic inflammation in the body), and emit light when they encounter it.
The actual reference... (Score:5, Informative)
In vivo imaging of hydrogen peroxide with chemiluminescent nanoparticles [nature.com] Dongwon Lee, Sirajud Khaja, Juan C. Velasquez-Castano, Madhuri Dasari, Carrie Sun, John Petros, W. Robert Taylor & Niren Murthy. Published online: 19 August 2007; doi:10.1038/nmat1983 [doi.org]
The paper describes the advantages of their nanoparticles: In the paper, they demonstrate the use of this photo-marker in live mice, and are able to image the location of hydrogen peroxide anywhere in the mouse body. An obvious question regarding the technique is the toxicity of the nanoparticles. They do not discuss this in the paper (it will probably be the subject of an upcoming study), but the particles are ester polymers, with embedded dye (a pentacene derivative). So they are not using heavy-metal nanoparticles: these are peroxalate polymers. I'm not an expert in biocompatibility, but from the chemical structure, I wouldn't expect it to be highly toxic (it probably even degrades in the body).
Obviously a detailed toxicity study would be required before use in humans. However it's possible that it could be rapidly adapted to ex-situ diagnostics (e.g. on tissue explants) and then be adapted to live in-situ imaging if/when it is determined to be safe.
Re:Sounds like nonsense (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Sounds like nonsense (Score:5, Informative)
Re:New Light Source (Score:3, Informative)
The paper uses well-established chemistry to generate light-emission. They basically have an ester (peroxalate) polymer with a fluorescent dye (a pentacene derivative). A chemical reaction with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) changes the peroxalate groups into dioxetanedione groups. This irreversible chemical reaction leads to excitation of the fluorescent dye, and hence light emission.
The hydrogen peroxide is not really the energy source for the luminescence: it is more like a catalyst that enables the peroxalate groups to convert and thereby generate light. For use in a light-emitting device, you would need a large amount of peroxalate in addition to the hydrogen peroxide. Since the peroxalate is used up, you'd have to keep replenishing it.
Basically, there are easier (cheaper) ways to generate light!
However as a diagnostic tool this is great. The paper describes the use for medical imaging, but I see no reason why this couldn't be used for detecting peroxide in other situations, such as for forensics or detecting industrial leaks or contamination. (Then again, in non-medical contexts there are probably existing detection techniques that I'm not aware of.)
Re:Sounds like nonsense (Score:4, Informative)
Most cancers, Alzheimer's and heart disease have nothing to do with inflammation, chronic or otherwise.
Actually, atheroma [wikipedia.org], the cause (in nearly all cases) of coronary artery disease, and the single commonest cause of death in the Western world, is well established to be an inflammatory process. The process of developing atheroma is influenced by a number of risk factors (e.g. diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, smoking, obesity, family history); interestingly, rheumatoid arthritis is also a significant risk factor. It has even been hypothesised that various bacterial infections (which cause inflammation) may be a cause or risk factor for atherosclerosis, though studies looking at antibiotic treatment of these purported infections have not borne this out so far.
Re:Ever seen a girl with a real post-orgasmic glow (Score:3, Informative)