Nanosponges Soak Up Toxins

Bioengineers at the University of California at San Diego have synthesized a ‘nanosponge,’ which is responsible for removing some of the most harmful toxins that can affect our bodies.Some of these toxins include MRSA, which is responsible for several difficult- to- treat infections. Some of these infections are resistant strains of already known infections we are aware of. Other toxins that the nanosponge absorbs are E.coli, poisonous snakes, and bees.  At the molecular level, these toxins damage the cell membranes of cells by poking holes. The nanosponges adequately absorb different pore-forming toxins regardless of their structure. Before, anti-toxins had to be synthesized according to specific toxin structures.

The way these nanosponges were synthesized was to wrap the nanosponges in red blood cell membranes in order to invade the immune system, and thereby, reach the bloodstream. In further detail, the nanosponges are 85 nanometers and are made of a biocompatible polymer wrapped in red blood cell membranes. The red blood cell membranes are retrieved by centrifuging a small blood sample and put the cells in a solution. In addition, according to the laws of diffusion, the red blood cells burst, releasing hemoglobin and RBC skins behind.  By encasing the nanosponge with red blood cell membranes, the toxins are diverted from their actual red blood cell targets and thus, the toxins are absorbed by the nanosponges. In rats, the nanosponges had a half-life of 40 hours and eventually the liver safely metabolized the nanosponge and the toxins, without harming the liver in any manner.

The reason why this method is efficacious is because one red blood cell membrane can make thousands of nanosponges because the size of nanosponges is significantly smaller compared to a RBC (3000 times smaller).  With just a single dose, thousands of nanosponges can invade the bloodstream, which outnumbers RBC’s and intercepts the toxins.

Researchers are now hoping to start clinical trials.

The reason why I found this article very interesting is because many of us has probably faced the reality that many drugs taken for infections eventually become resistant. The bacteria are even harder to remove and sometimes, new strains of an infection become prevalent that pharmaceutical companies have not yet synthesized. I think these nanosponges can be a great alternative to many drugs because these do not require specificity and targets various toxins.

http://bioengineer.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=356:nanosponges-soak-up-toxins-released-by-bacterial-infections-and-venom&catid=89:news&Itemid=494