Researchers use DNA strands to build decomposable

nanostructures and where does the pathological misfolding of the

prion originate?Laura Arango Gutiérrez

Medical Student

FOLDING

FOLDING

A clear example of what I want to explain is cancer because of its characteristic excess in cell growth due to damages in the control mechanisms of the cell during its cycle.

For that reason , cancer treatments are designed to affect DNA, RNA and proteins so as to stop the pathological process of the cell cycle

Some years researchers found the use of nanostructures build from nanoparticles as a method to deliver drug directly to the tumor, killing it

Researchers use DNA strands to build

decomposable nanostructuresBut there was a

problem: the materials of nanostructures are considered toxic if they build up in the body and the structures are too big for the body so it’s difficult to break down and to remove them.

Researchers use DNA strands to build

decomposable nanostructures

Nanoparticles DNA strands Nanoparticles tie with DNA strands

form NanostructuresThe use of DNA strands to tie nanoparticles and polymers can mediate the assembly of larger nanostructures and control their interactions with biological systems.

Researchers use DNA strands to build

decomposable nanostructuresThe researchers

tested in mice and they found that nanoparticles were in mouse urine, indicating that the mice system were able to remove the smaller sized nanostructures

Student Observation

I think the knowledges on the subject should be extended, thus this method could be use in people because the use of friendly nanostructures with the body results a good strategy for the treatment of cancer because it decreases the secondary effects of the cancer drugs. It implies to improve the quality life of patients which is a clear objective of all scientific advances

The investigation was based on the idea that when prions are healthy they look like tiny spheres but when they are malignant they look like cubes

Where does the pathological misfolding of the prion

originate?“Prions are unique infective agents –unlike viruses, bacteria, fungi and other parasites, prions do not contain either DNA or RNA” In fact, prions are one of the exceptions of the central dogma of molecular biology because they are proteins able to infect.

Where does the pathological misfolding of the prion

originate?The pathological effects of the malignant proteins can propagate quickly because PrPSc (the pathological form of the prion protein) can induce to PrPc (normal prions protein) to change its conformation and convert it in disease-causing agents.

Where does the pathological misfolding of the prion

originate?To know the place where the pathological misfolding of the prion originate, researchers use X-rays, synthetic prion proteins and small proteins (nanobodies) that were used like plataforms and they induce prions to stabilize their structure.With this, they found that the early prion pathological misfolding occurs in the N-terminal subunit.

Student Observation

I think that this kind of investigation represents a major step in the sciencie because keep researching about the way how the prions are modified to convert into disease-causing agents and find results on this topic means find therapeuctic stretagies against incurable neurodegenerative diseases. This investigation is an example of the importance of the molecular approach in the study of the pathologies

It is very important to know the molecular basis of the different pathologies to find a treatment that makes its effect on the molecular proccess of the cells involve in diseases

Medical utility

The use of decomposable nanostructures tie with DNA strands could be a very useful method in the treatment of cancer, for example in chemotherapies

Medical utility

Nanostructures act directly on the tumor cells decreasing the secondary effects of these treatments. This is very important because the objective of scientific advances is to improve and impact positively on people's lives and this research may mean an improvement in the quality of life of patients with cancer.

Medical utility

Spongiform encephalopathy: Mad cow disease

Considering that prions are misfolded proteins that cause a group of incurable neurodegenerative diseases like spongiform encephalopathies, the fact of knowing the place where the pathological misfolding of the prion originate will allow to create a possible cure and treatment for neurodegenerative diseases

Bibliography

CHOU, L; ZAGOROVSKY, K; CHAN, W (2014, January 26) DNA assembly of nanoparticle superstructures for controlled biological delivery and elimination. Nature Nanotechnology (2014) Retrieved February 7, 2014 from http://phys.org/news/2014-01-dna-strands-decomposable-nanostructures.html

ABSKHARON N. N., R; GIACHIN, G; Wohlkonig, A; SOROR, S; PARDON, E.; LEGNAME, G., et all."Probing the N-Terminal β-Sheet Conversion in the Crystal Structure of the Human Prion Protein Bound to a Nanobody.", Journal of the American Chemical Society 2014 136 (3), 937-944. Retrieved February 7, 2014 from http://phys.org/news/2014-01-pathological-misfolding-prion.html#jCp

MARTINEZ SANCHEZ, Lina Maria. Biologia molecular. 7. ed. Medellin: UPB. Fac. de Medicina, 2012. 74-77 p.