Nanocomposites that treat dementia with light appear

Figure showing the process by which nanocomposites inhibit the formation of amyloid plaque, which is the cause of dementia. [자료=KBSI]

The Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI) announced on the 6th that the research team of Dr.Hyunoh Kang of the Department of Materials Analysis and Research has developed a nanocomposite that inhibits the formation of amyloid plaques, known as the cause of dementia, through joint research with the research team of Professor Chanbeom Park of the Department of Advanced Materials Engineering at KAIST.

Since the nanocomposite developed by the research team is activated only when exposed to red light, it has a great advantage that it can suppress amyloid plaque formation by shining light at a specific location for a required time. Amyloid plaques are clusters of proteins found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s dementia, and are made by agglomerating beta amyloid proteins in the form of threads. It is known that neurotoxicity is caused in the process of continuing accumulation of amyloid plaque in the brain, and the signaling system of brain neurons is destroyed, leading to dementia. Until now, research on inhibiting the aggregation of beta amyloid protein for the treatment of Alzheimer’s dementia has been continued, but this study proved its inhibitory efficacy through animal experiments by developing a nanocomposite that can target the treatment location with light and control the time. This is the first time. The research results were recently published in ACS Nano, an international journal in the field of nano.

The research team conducted an experiment with an animal model of dementia (5xFAD) that simultaneously contains major dementia genes. After injecting the nanocomposite solution into one side of the brain of a living rat, it was irradiated for 2 hours with red light, which has a high permeability enough to reach deep inside the brain. The nanocomposite activated by the light generated free radicals, splitting amyloid plaques finely and inhibiting reaggregation and new formation of amyloid plaques.

A picture showing the reduction of amyloid plaques, the causative agent of dementia, in the brains of mice suffering from dementia. [자료=KBSI]

The developed nanocomposite has a size of less than 5 nm (nanometers) and is a form of binding nucleic acid strands to a ball-shaped nucleus. The nucleus of the nanocomposite is mainly composed of carbon, which is also called’carbon dot’, and is characterized by low toxicity to the human body. Nucleic acid strands called’Aptamers’ attached to the nucleus play a role in strongly sticking to the beta amyloid protein. The nanocomposite developed by the research team has been confirmed to be effective in the complex neurophysiological environment of the living mouse brain, so it is easy to apply it to the development of dementia treatments in the future.

Dr. Hyun-Oh Kang of KBSI said, “In the development of cranial nerve-related treatments, the key is whether the treatment can pass through the cerebral vascular barrier that protects cranial nerve cells from foreign substances.” It is highly likely to pass through Alzheimer’s, and it is expected to lead to a new nanocomposite that can treat Alzheimer’s dementia.” “The result of this study is to develop a nanocomposite that suppresses the causative agent of dementia, and this does not confirm the result of relieving the symptoms of dementia,” he said. “The efficacy of dementia treatment using nanocomposites through future animal behavior experiments “We will do research to reveal even more.”

Shin Hyung-sik, director of KBSI, said, “Our country has entered an aging society at a very rapid pace, and inevitably, a national response to the increasing aging-related diseases is necessary.” “KBSI was established last year as an aging animal breeding facility to establish a scientific and technological-based response system. “We have completed the KBSI Aging Research Facility, and we will continue to conduct follow-up research on aging through the biodisaster analysis technology development project, which is KBSI’s main business, while actively utilizing this infrastructure.”

Joonho Choi, Journalist of Science and the Future [email protected]