The process by which nanocomposites inhibit amyloid plaque formationOn the 6th, the joint research team of Dr. Hyun-Oh Kang of the Korea Basic Science Institute and Professor Chan-beom Park of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at KAIST announced on the 6th that they have developed a nanomaterial that inhibits the formation of amyloid plaques known to cause dementia.
In the brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients, many plaques (neural plaques) in the form of lumps are found in the form of entangled thread-shaped beta amyloid proteins.
It is known that if amyloid plaques continue to accumulate in the brain, it causes neurotoxicity and destroys the signaling system of nerve cells in the brain, leading to dementia.
The research team developed a nanocomposite capable of inhibiting the aggregation of beta amyloid protein and proved its efficacy through animal experiments.
After injecting the nanocomposite into the brain of the experimental rat that caused dementia, a red light with high penetrating power was irradiated for 2 hours.As a result, the nanocomposite activated by receiving the light generates free radicals, breaking down amyloid plaques and preventing reaggregation. The appearance was confirmed.
Area of reduced amyloid plaque in the brain of dementia rats (area within the red dotted line)This nanocomposite with a diameter of less than 5 nm (nanometer·1 millionth of a millimeter) is a form of binding nucleic acid strands to a carbon nucleus, and plays a role in which the nucleic acid strands meet and adhere strongly to the beta amyloid protein.
Dr. Hyun-Oh Kang said, “We will contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s treatment as we have confirmed that it is effective even in the complex neurophysiological environment of the living mouse brain.”
The results of this study were published in the international journal’ACS Nano’ on December 22nd last year.
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