Nano Particles to Cross the Blood Brain Barrier

[beeeep]

Only slightly interesting despite the title:

Apawu AK, Curley SM, Dixon AR, Hali M, Sinan M, Braun RD, Castracane J, Cacace AT, Bergkvist M, Holt AG.

MRI Compatible MS2 Nanoparticles Designed to Cross the Blood-Brain-Barrier: Providing a Path towards Tinnitus Treatment.

Abstract:

Fundamental challenges of targeting specific brain regions for treatment using pharmacotherapeutic nanoparticle (NP) carriers include circumventing the blood–brain-barrier (BBB) and tracking delivery. Angiopep-2 (AP2) has been shown to facilitate the transport of large macromolecules and synthetic nanoparticles across the BBB. Thus, conjugation of AP2 to an MS2 bacteriophage based NP should also permit transport across the BBB. We have fabricated and tested a novel MS2 capsid-based NP conjugated to the ligand AP2. The reaction efficiency was determined to be over 70%, with up to two angiopep-2 conjugated per MS2 capsid protein. When linked with a porphyrin ring, manganese (Mn2+) remained stable within MS2 and was MRI detectable. Nanoparticles were introduced intracerebroventricularly or systemically. Systemic delivery yielded dose dependent, non-toxic accumulation of NPs in the midbrain. Design of a multifunctional MRI compatible NP platform provides a significant step forward for the diagnosis and treatment of intractable brain conditions, such as tinnitus.

Basically the nano-particle they report about is build out of "natural" ingredients, which (hopefully) gives it several desirable qualities like bio-degradability over synthetic nano particles.

While the title mentions tinnitus, the article itself only has a short paragraph talking about how tinnitus treatment would benefit from being able to cross the blood brain barrier and target certain brain regions with nano-particles.

However, some of the authors indeed do tinnitus and hearing loss related research.

 

[Frédéric]

Same team but not the same content:
https://books.google.fr/books?hl=fr...ojdSE86egscNYdTo#v=onepage&q=tinnitus&f=false

 

[JohnAdams]

Are there nano drugs to treat tinnitus?

 

[razo]

https://books.google.fr/books?hl=fr...ojdSE86egscNYdTo#v=onepage&q=tinnitus&f=false

That was an interesting read
A summary of status quo in tinnitus research + presentation of a new, possible treatment in the works for tinnitus, imo.