A biodegradable nanoparticle used in medical sutures has been identified to tackle a rare, often deadly inflammatory disease, according to researchers.
Researchers discovered that a certain macrophage, an immune cell that eliminates bacteria or dead cells, plays a critical role in scleroderma or systemic sclerosis, patients’ persistent inflammation, and scarring in the lungs and skin. This macrophage, known as MARCO+, was shown to be higher in persons with the orphan disease, which affects roughly 70,000 Americans and has no effective therapy at the moment.
The researchers injected biodegradable PLG nanoparticles (poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid) into mice. PLG selectively targeted MARCO+ inflammatory cells and prevented skin and lung fibrosis, according to the findings, which were published in JCI Insight. According to John Varga, M.D., senior author of the paper and chief of the Michigan Medicine Division of Rheumatology, nanoparticle therapy might even repair fibrosis in these mice.
The findings reveal a stark difference: untreated mice had terrible scarring in the lungs, and those treated with this nanoparticle saw the disease decease in severity or completely disappear. This is a promising step towards targeted treatment for patients with early scleroderma that could potentially mitigate the worst effects of the disease.
John Varga, Study Senior Author and Chief, Division of Rheumatology, Michigan Medicine
The researchers believe that in people with scleroderma, MARCO+ cells get activated and circulate in the bloodstream, where they go to the tissues and cause scar formation. Varga notes that while the PLG nanoparticle decreased fibrosis in mice models, further research is needed to figure out how it suppresses MARCO+ activation.
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved PLG to make biodegradable sutures. Varga’s co-authors previously discovered that PLG reduced inflammation in mice models of myocardial infarction. However, the treatment is not currently available for patients.
We hope that this type of therapy will one day be evaluated in clinical trials for scleroderma. People with scleroderma are at great risk for skin and lung thickening that impacts function, and we look for any way to stop that from happening.
John Varga, Study Senior Author and Chief, Division of Rheumatology, Michigan Medicine
News
Does Space-Time Really Exist?
Is time something that flows — or just an illusion? Exploring space-time as either a fixed “block universe” or a dynamic fabric reveals deeper mysteries about existence, change, and the very nature of reality. [...]
Unlocking hidden soil microbes for new antibiotics
Most bacteria cannot be cultured in the lab-and that's been bad news for medicine. Many of our frontline antibiotics originated from microbes, yet as antibiotic resistance spreads and drug pipelines run dry, the soil [...]
By working together, cells can extend their senses beyond their direct environment
The story of the princess and the pea evokes an image of a highly sensitive young royal woman so refined, she can sense a pea under a stack of mattresses. When it comes to [...]
Overworked Brain Cells May Hold the Key to Parkinson’s
Scientists at Gladstone Institutes uncovered a surprising reason why dopamine-producing neurons, crucial for smooth body movements, die in Parkinson’s disease. In mice, when these neurons were kept overactive for weeks, they began to falter, [...]
Old tires find new life: Rubber particles strengthen superhydrophobic coatings against corrosion
Development of highly robust superhydrophobic anti-corrosion coating using recycled tire rubber particles. Superhydrophobic materials offer a strategy for developing marine anti-corrosion materials due to their low solid-liquid contact area and low surface energy. However, [...]
This implant could soon allow you to read minds
Mind reading: Long a science fiction fantasy, today an increasingly concrete scientific goal. Researchers at Stanford University have succeeded in decoding internal language in real time thanks to a brain implant and artificial intelligence. [...]
A New Weapon Against Cancer: Cold Plasma Destroys Hidden Tumor Cells
Cold plasma penetrates deep into tumors and attacks cancer cells. Short-lived molecules were identified as key drivers. Scientists at the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), working with colleagues from Greifswald University Hospital and [...]
This Common Sleep Aid May Also Protect Your Brain From Alzheimer’s
Lemborexant and similar sleep medications show potential for treating tau-related disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis shows that a commonly used sleep medication can restore normal sleep patterns and [...]
Sugar-Coated Nanoparticles Boost Cancer Drug Efficacy
A team of researchers at the University of Mississippi has discovered that coating cancer treatment carrying nanoparticles in a sugar-like material increases their treatment efficacy. They reported their findings in Advanced Healthcare Materials. Over a tenth of breast [...]
Nanoparticle-Based Vaccine Shows Promise in Fighting Cancer
In a study published in OncoImmunology, researchers from the German Cancer Research Center and Heidelberg University have created a therapeutic vaccine that mobilizes the immune system to target cancer cells. The researchers demonstrated that virus peptides combined [...]
Quantitative imaging method reveals how cells rapidly sort and transport lipids
Lipids are difficult to detect with light microscopy. Using a new chemical labeling strategy, a Dresden-based team led by André Nadler at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) and [...]
Ancient DNA reveals cause of world’s first recorded pandemic
Scientists have confirmed that the Justinian Plague, the world’s first recorded pandemic, was caused by Yersinia pestis, the same bacterium behind the Black Death. Dating back some 1,500 years and long described in historical texts but [...]
“AI Is Not Intelligent at All” – Expert Warns of Worldwide Threat to Human Dignity
Opaque AI systems risk undermining human rights and dignity. Global cooperation is needed to ensure protection. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has changed how people interact, but it also poses a global risk to human [...]
Nanomotors: Where Are They Now?
First introduced in 2004, nanomotors have steadily advanced from a scientific curiosity to a practical technology with wide-ranging applications. This article explores the key developments, recent innovations, and major uses of nanomotors today. A [...]
Study Finds 95% of Tested Beers Contain Toxic “Forever Chemicals”
Researchers found PFAS in 95% of tested beers, with the highest levels linked to contaminated local water sources. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), better known as forever chemicals, are gaining notoriety for their ability [...]
Long COVID Symptoms Are Closer To A Stroke Or Parkinson’s Disease Than Fatigue
When most people get sick with COVID-19 today, they think of it as a brief illness, similar to a cold. However, for a large number of people, the illness doesn't end there. The World [...]
