The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center research team has targeted a major protein involved in atherosclerosis and inflammation using nanotechnology. According to the researchers, this research study will contribute to immunotherapy-based diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease.
This research has been released in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (April edition).
Vascular inflammation in atherosclerosis is regulated by myeloid-related protein 8/14 complex (Mrp8/14), which thrives in human and animal atherosclerotic plaques.
Led by Andrei Maiseyeu, the research team synthesized a new nanoprobe, a minute device that can enable cellular level-detection of insignificant structures. This newly-synthesized nanoprobe attached to Mrp 8/14 can be used with MRI due to the presence of gadolinium contrast agent. The research team, inspired by previous researches, employed nanoparticles containing Mrp antibodies and phospholipids that possess anti-inflammatory effect. The accumulation of these nanoparticles enabled the researchers to locate and determine the plaque in a better way.
Mice with atherosclerosis and deficient of Mrp were tested with the nanoprobe. The results demonstrate that imaging of the aortic wall using anti-Mrp nanoprobe showed 5x enhancements in mice with atherosclerosis. Furthermore, researchers observed 22-fold improvement in image clarity, or contrast-to-noise ratio. No enhancement was noted in the images captured from the Mrp deficient mice.
The inflammatory effects of Mrp8/14 were neutralized by the anti-Mrp probe. According to Maiseyeu, this will contribute to the development of diagnostic device with theranostic technology.
Currently, the team is developing a nanoprobe equipped with an antibody, specific to human-beings that ensure human atherosclerotic tissue assessment.
Source: http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/