June 14 : Researchers at Purdue University has shown that common bacteria can carry “smart nanoparticles” into a cell, and thereby help early diagnosis and treatment of various diseases.

Rashid Bashir, a researcher at Purdue’s Birck Nanotechnology Center, says that the approach represents a potential way to overcome hurdles in delivering cargo to the interiors of cells, where they could be used as an alterative technology for gene therapy.

During the study, the researchers attached nanoparticles to the outside of bacteria, and linked DNA to the nanoparticles. Thereafter, the nanoparticle-laden bacteria transported the DNA to the nuclei of cells, causing the cells to produce a fluorescent protein that glowed green.

The researchers say that the same method could be used to deliver drugs, genes, or other cargo into cells.

“The released cargo is designed to be transported to different locations in the cells to carry out disease detection and treatment simultaneously,” said Bashir, a professor in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

“Because the bacteria and nanoparticle material can be selected from many choices, this is a delivery system that can be tailored to the characteristics of the receiving cells. It can deliver diagnostic or therapeutic cargo effectively for a wide range of needs,” he added.

He further said that the bacteria’s natural ability to penetrate cells and their nuclei can be harnessed by using its harmless strains as vehicles.

“For gene therapy, a big obstacle has been finding ways to transport the therapeutic DNA molecule through the nuclear membrane and into the nucleus. Only when it is in the nucleus can the DNA produce proteins that perform specific functions and correct genetic disease conditions,” he said.

The researchers said that the method might be used to take images of diseased tissues by inserting a cargo of fluorescent molecules into tumours that are ordinarily too small to be detected.

They also said that the new delivery system was more efficient than other experimental techniques using viruses and bacteria, as can carry hundreds of nanoparticles, each of which can in turn carry hundreds of drug molecules, depending on the size of the nanoparticles.

“The use of commercially available polystyrene nanoparticles makes this delivery system much simpler to implement than previous alternatives,” Bashir said.

He said that the new mechanism might make possible the early detection of cancer and other diseases, and to monitor the progress of disease and response to drug therapy. (ANI)