Navigation Links
UCI researchers develop world's first plastic antibodies
Date:6/21/2010

Irvine, Calif., June 21, 2010 UC Irvine researchers have developed the first "plastic antibodies" successfully employed in live organisms stopping the spread of bee venom through the bloodstream of mice.

Tiny polymeric particles just 1/50,000th the width of a human hair were designed to match and encase melittin, a peptide in bee venom that causes cells to rupture, releasing their contents. Large quantities of melittin can lead to organ failure and death.

The polymer nanoparticles were prepared by "molecular imprinting" a technique similar to plaster casting: UCI chemistry professor Kenneth Shea and project scientist Yu Hoshino linked melittin with small molecules called monomers, solidifying the two into a network of long polymer chains. After the plastic hardened, they removed the melittin, leaving nanoparticles with minuscule melittin-shaped holes.

When injected into mice given high doses of melittin, these precisely imprinted nanoparticles enveloped the matching melittin molecules, "capturing" them before they could disperse and wreak havoc greatly reducing deaths among the rodents.

"Never before have synthetic antibodies been shown to effectively function in the bloodstream of living animals," Shea says. "This technique could be utilized to make plastic nanoparticles designed to fight more lethal toxins and pathogens."

Takashi Kodama of Stanford University and Hiroyuki Koide, Takeo Urakami, Hiroaki Kanazawa and Naoto Oku of Japan's University of Shizuoka also contributed to the study, published recently in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Unlike natural antibodies produced by live organisms and harvested for medical use, synthetic antibodies can be created in laboratories at a lower cost and have a longer shelf life.

"The bloodstream includes a sea of competing molecules such as proteins, peptides and cells and presents considerable challenges for the design of nanopa
'/>"/>

Contact: Laura Rico
lrico@uci.edu
949-824-9055
University of California - Irvine
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. Little is understood about alcohols effect on fetal development, Georgetown researchers say
2. Researchers identify a fundamental process in lysosomal function and protein degradation
3. High-yield agriculture slows pace of global warming, say Stanford researchers
4. Mass. General researchers develop functional, transplantable rat liver grafts
5. OU researchers find way to prevent blindness in research model for retinitis pigmentosa
6. Texas A&M veterinary researchers achieve cloning first
7. Researchers discover mechanism that limits scar formation
8. Researchers identify gene linked to hereditary incontinence
9. UCLA stem cell researchers uncover previously unknown patterns in DNA methylation
10. Lasers help researchers predict birds preferred habitat
11. Researchers find gene linked to birth defects
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:5/23/2013)... Wis. In an age when microbial pathogens are ... tamp down infection, a team of Wisconsin scientists has ... curbing the bacteria that cause staph infections. , Writing ... Society , a group led by University of Wisconsin-Madison ... with the "quorum sensing" behavior of Staphylococcus aureus ...
(Date:5/22/2013)... to improve durability in fuel cell powered buses, ... discovered links between electrode degradation processes and bus ... effects of electrode degradation stressors in the operating ... , The findings of the study, led by ... in a long-term study at Burnaby-based Ballard Power ...
(Date:5/22/2013)... 2013)The omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil have ... so that the American Heart Association currently recommends eating ... fatty varieties rich in omega 3s. However, the mechanism ... a new study, scientists led by Jason R. Carter ... by providing evidence that fish oil might specifically counteract ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):University of Wisconsin chemists find new compounds to curb staph infection 2Tests lead to doubling of fuel cell life 2Fish oil may help the heart beat mental stress 2
... discovered molecular mechanism helps control the amount and effectiveness of ... that is produced by the body,s own nerve cells. ... Nature Neuroscience . The lead author on the study is ... the University of Washington (UW). The senior author is Dr. ...
... outdoor "laboratory" on Ohio State University,s campus shows that naturally ... ecological services as will wetlands planted by humans. Researchers ... experimental marshes on the campus, one that was planted in ... colonize plant and animal life on its own. The 2 ...
... ITHACA, N.Y. Apathetic aphids which become ... and alarms sent by fellow aphids become easy ... to researchers at the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant ... Academy of Sciences , Aug. 3, 2010.) The ...
Cached Biology News:Newly discovered mechanism controls levels and efficacy of a marijuana-like substance in the brain 2Newly discovered mechanism controls levels and efficacy of a marijuana-like substance in the brain 3Planted, unplanted man-made wetlands are similar at year 15, and function as effective carbon sinks 2Planted, unplanted man-made wetlands are similar at year 15, and function as effective carbon sinks 3Planted, unplanted man-made wetlands are similar at year 15, and function as effective carbon sinks 4Apathetic aphids with attitude become easier prey for ladybugs 2
(Date:5/23/2013)... MARINO, Calif. , May 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ ... today a strategic alliance with DAK Renewable Research ... the corn oil yield. VG Energy is a ... (OTC Pink: VGLS). VG Energy,s exclusively ... to increase the oil yield in plants, possessing ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... EXTON, Pa. , May 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ ... leading research and advisory firms for specialized biopharmaceutical ... gastroenterologists, hepatologists, and infectious disease specialists reported that ... warehousing patients (e.g., intentionally delaying treatment) in anticipation ... physicians than six months ago, when only 6 ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... Md. , May 23, 2013 Northwest ... biotechnology company developing DCVax ® personalized immune therapies ... use its exhibit at this year,s American Society Of ... to highlight its leadership role in immune therapy.  ... The ASCO annual meeting is the pre-eminent conference focused ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... SAN DIEGO , May 23, 2013  Verenium ... biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of ... , Chief Financial Officer, will present at two ... Mr. Black will present at the Second Annual ... at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City.  ...
Breaking Biology Technology:VG Energy Enters into a Strategic Alliance with DAK Renewable Research for LipidMax Field Trials 2VG Energy Enters into a Strategic Alliance with DAK Renewable Research for LipidMax Field Trials 3The Majority of Physicians that Treat Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Have Begun "Warehousing" and Preparing Their HCV Patients for the Next Generation of HCV Treatments 2The Majority of Physicians that Treat Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Have Begun "Warehousing" and Preparing Their HCV Patients for the Next Generation of HCV Treatments 3NW Bio Exhibit at the Upcoming ASCO Meeting to Highlight its Leadership Role in Immune Therapy for Cancer 2NW Bio Exhibit at the Upcoming ASCO Meeting to Highlight its Leadership Role in Immune Therapy for Cancer 3Verenium To Present At Two Upcoming Conferences 2Verenium To Present At Two Upcoming Conferences 3
... of Missouri officials announced today a five-year agreement with ... research and training in nanomedicine and nanotechnology. "We ... affiliation of 16 institutions of higher education in Tamil ... research. "K.S.R. has the same commitment to deliver quality ...
... Mich., Oct. 11, 2011 New England Biolabs, Inc. ... signed a distribution agreement whereby NEB will distribute a ... the amplification of DNA from single cells or extremely ... Genome Amplification (WGA) Kit is the first product available ...
... 11, 2011 Roche ( SIX: RO, ... announced today an agreement to license several technologies developed ... Arizona State University and Dr. Colin Nuckolls of the ... revolutionary DNA sequencing system. The licensed technologies include specialized ...
Cached Biology Technology:MU signs academic agreement with K.S.R. Educational Institutions of India 2New England Biolabs and Rubicon Genomics Enter into Distribution Agreement for Single Cell Amplification Products 2Roche Licenses Nanopore Sequencing Technologies from Arizona State University and Columbia University for Rapid, Affordable DNA Sequencing 2Roche Licenses Nanopore Sequencing Technologies from Arizona State University and Columbia University for Rapid, Affordable DNA Sequencing 3Roche Licenses Nanopore Sequencing Technologies from Arizona State University and Columbia University for Rapid, Affordable DNA Sequencing 4
... The Helios gene gun low-pressure system, 220-240 ... biomaterials into cells. This handheld device employs an ... other biomaterial-coated gold microcarriers from the inner wall ... cells. This system can be used for in ...
... Hybridization Wash Pack provides optimized blocking ... Preparation Quality Clarifier: Ready-to-use wash solutions ... SigmaScreen(tm) APS Coated Slides for Microarrays ... Hybridization Blocking Buffer: 1L • Microarray ...
Mouse polyclonal antibody raised against a partial recombinant MHC2TA. NCBI Entrez Gene ID = 4261...
Mouse monoclonal antibody raised against a partial recombinant JRKL. NCBI Entrez Gene ID = JRKL...
Biology Products: