Disease Diagnosis with Magnetic Nanoparticles

-

 



With nucleic acids being the primary material for the storage and transmission of genetic material, they can aid in detecting genetic changes associated with health conditions.
Why is Early Nucleic Acid Detection Necessary?

Nucleic acids hold significant value in biological functions as they are one of the most fundamental building blocks of human life. The exploitation of nucleic acids can allow for advancements in disease diagnoses that may have previously been obscured until a late stage – resulting in a poor prognosis.

Existing research has shown that breast cancer susceptibility gene mutations are the main cause of breast cancer family clustering. Additionally, studies have also illustrated that the FLT3 gene mutation is a key gene mutation in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

The use of gene sequencing has shown that lung cancer-related genes such as epidermal growth factor receptor gene mutation and others can play a significant role in diagnosing and treating lung cancer. This can also be related to other diseases and disorders which may benefit from early nucleic detection of gene mutations such as Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus, Lymphoma, bowel cancer, and prostatic cancer.



Utilizing early nucleic acid detection could be critical for advancing medicine through the identification of gene mutations to prevent and treat diseases, providing patients with the best level of care and remarkable prognoses.
Current Nucleic Acid Detection Method

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method is currently considered the gold standard for detecting nucleic acids. However, with clearer disadvantages that have come to light from consistent use, the development of novel nucleic acid detection methods is critical.

The PCR technique is notorious for its lengthy steps, and this translates to being time-consuming and not an efficient method for fast diagnosis. Additionally, the equipment and consumables necessary to perform a PCR test are expensive, with those performing the test requiring specific training.

Developing a novel innovative method of detecting nucleic acids fast and economically friendly is significant for advancing early disease diagnosis. This is especially necessary for medical institutions in developing countries that may depend on tests for disease control but cannot afford or maintain the expense that PCR tests require. Additionally, with the pandemic also depending on this test to detect the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus, its drawbacks are becoming more apparent – the diagnosis and treatment of sudden infectious diseases cannot be dependent on such a lengthy process.
Magnetic Nanoparticles

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) benefit from the dual characteristics of their eponymous derivatives, magnetic particles and nanoparticles (NPs). This incorporation of nanotechnology utilizes nanosized particles that pertain to a scale of 1 and 100 nm in size and produce a response when presented in a magnetic field. The advantage of this collaboration includes the large surface area to volume ratio, which enhances their efficacy.

These critical nanoparticles utilize magnetic beads, which can be a powerful tool for nucleic acid extraction. The coupling of magnetic properties with specific ligands in magnetic beads enables the separation and purification of nucleic acids effectively and efficiently.

This technique has been used to drive biomedical research with its application as a biosensor to capture and ultra-sensitively detect microRNA from the total RNA of cancer cells. MNPs have also been used to extract DNA and RNA from cancer cells simultaneously.

MNPs are used frequently in various fields, namely, materials science, electrochemistry, biochemical sensing, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), environmental and medical research. Their versatile applications can be seen to be significant with roles in medicine as well as within other industries, such as removing pollutants and toxicity through membrane separation for the purification and treatment of water systems.







Utilizing MNPs to detect pathogens and target genomic regions of interest for variant discovery and infectious disease detection has made them a highly desirable tool for scientists to improve accuracy, sensitivity assays, and expense surrounding experiments.

Current research focusing on MNPs for sensitive detection of pathogens has attracted great attention due to the associated low cost and ease in operation and automation.

Research into efficient extraction of nucleic acids has led to the development of a rapid and effective universal nucleic acid extraction kit based on magnetic beads.
MNPs for Detecting Gene Mutations

Detecting gene mutations and tumor markers is significant for early cancer diagnosis during the screening period. The utilization of magnetic nanoparticles with specific ligands enables these markers to be detected and is one step closer to providing early diagnoses.

This novel approach to isolating nucleic acids is introduced through coupling molecules that bind specifically to nucleic acids and can be easily separated and isolated with magnetic field application.

Research encompassing this method has been used by various researchers investigating pathogens from Salmonella to avian influenza viruses. While this application of nano-magnetic material-based throughput sequencing method can enhance sensitivity, selectivity, and simultaneous detection of different sequences, the journey towards a translatory product may still require further research on optimization.

This nanotechnology application has great potential for disease diagnosis and therapeutics and could potentially aid in identifying and treating genetic mutations long before symptoms, revolutionizing modern medicine.


Website: International Research Chemistry Awards

 #ResearchChemistry, #ChemicalInnovation, #Science, #ScienceResearch, #ScientificResearch, #ResearchAndDevelopment, #ChemistryEducation, #ChemistryExperiments, #ChemistryLab, #ChemistryStudents, #ChemistryStudy, #OrganicChemistry, #InorganicChemistry, #PhysicalChemistry, #AnalyticalChemistry, #Biochemistry, #MaterialsChemistry, #TheoreticalChemistry, #AppliedChemistry, #MedicinalChemistry

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

EchoBack CAR T-cells could be a game changer in cancer immunotherapy

-
Image
  Imagine a super-charged immune cell that can launch a focused attack on stubborn solid tumors - a smart fighter that destroys cancer cells for days without tiring. USC biomedical engineers have made this concept a reality, crafting what they have named the "EchoBack CAR T-cell," which could soon be a game changer in the field of cancer immunotherapy . The work, published in the scientific journal Cell, is a groundbreaking new approach that could overcome major obstacles in treating tumors that are not usually candidates for immunotherapy, while keeping healthy tissue safe. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a promising field of cancer treatment that has shown great success in treating bloodborne cancers such as leukemia. It is a highly customized therapy in which cancer-fighting T-cells are drawn directly from the blood of a patient and given genetic modifications to enhance their ability to target and kill cancerous cells. The USC Alfred E. Mann Department ...
Read more

New AI Tool Tracks Your Steps by Reading the Bacteria You Carry

-
Image
  Lund University’s mGPS AI tool traces recent locations based on microbial signatures, aiding forensics and epidemiology by linking bacteria to specific geographic origins. A research team from Lund University in Sweden has created an AI tool capable of tracking the most recent locations you’ve visited. Unlike a traditional navigation system that helps you reach a destination, this tool pinpoints the geographical origin of microorganisms. This innovation allows bacteria to reveal whether someone recently visited the beach, disembarked at a city center train station, or took a walk through the woods. This opens up new possibilities within medicine, epidemiology , and forensics. Microorganisms are organisms, such as bacteria, that are invisible to the naked eye. The word microbiome is used to describe all the microorganisms in a particular environment. Establishing the geographical source of a microbiome sample has been a considerable challenge up to now. However, in a new study...
Read more

Warming Mars’ atmosphere with nanoparticles

-
Image
  Mars has emerged as the leading candidate for human expansion. Its proximity to Earth, abundant amounts of sunlight and ample water trapped in ice makes Martian colonies theoretically plausible. One significant challenge though is Mars’ thin atmosphere . To heat Mars and thicken its atmosphere in preparation for human settlement, scientists have proposed that microscopic nanorods could be released into the Martian sky to accelerate the necessary greenhouse effect. The subsequent rise in temperature would melt ice and release more CO2 , trapped in solid form on Mars’ surface, significantly increasing atmospheric pressure. Using Mars’ own resources Due to a lack of magnetic field, Mars’ atmosphere was long ago stripped away by solar winds. Multiple strategies to thicken the Red Planet’s atmosphere have been proposed but require large quantities of resources, like greenhouse gases, be brought over as they aren’t abundant on Mars. With today’s current technology, the journey to Ma...
Read more