Nanoparticles May Show Promise in DNA Vaccine Delivery

Highlights

DNA vaccines may serve as a potential alternative for conventional vaccines.
Novel method of using gold nanoparticles may help to deliver DNA Vaccines.

Gold nanoparticles to deliver therapeutic molecules into the cells were developed by a research team from Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

The method mainly controls the use of gold nanoparticles that are electrically activated, which causes them to oscillate and allow the entry of molecules like DNA, RNA and proteins.

Nanoparticles Can Save Lives By Controlling Serious Blood Loss
Nanoparticles are capable of aggregating at injury sites and helping in clotting. This helps control blood loss, and may save lives without need for major surgery.

‘Novel method of using Nanoparticles may show hope in delivering DNA vaccines.’

Tweet it Now

DNA vaccines are potential alternatives to normal vaccines. They contain small circular pieces of DNA called plasmids; This contains one or more antigens that replicate from the cell chromosome.

Hadi Shafiee, Ph.D, assistant professor at Brigham and Women's Hospital and his team evaluated the use of nanoparticles to deliver DNA vaccine, specifically against the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) into the mice.

The research team found DNA vaccine to have induced a strong immune response which was shown by the anti-HCV antibodies that secrete inflammatory hormones. There was also no sign of toxicity in the mice through the three month study period.

Zika Brain Damage and Death Prevented by DNA-Based Vaccine
A newly developed synthetic DNA-based vaccine against Zika tested against susceptible animal models offers hope of protection against disease, brain damage and death.

Mohamed Shehata Draz, Ph.D, said, "Our concept is unique, Both the electric field parameters and the nanoparticle properties can be augmented to perform other important functions, such as precisely removing cells or blood clots."

Benefits of DNA Vaccines

DNA vaccines serve as a potential alternative to conventional vaccines.
Foreign substances that pose a risk to patients can be minimized by using DNA vaccines.
DNA vaccines show promise in taming cancer growth.

Shafiee, said, "One of the exciting aspects of this new method is that it enables drug delivery into tissues or cells in a universal way.”

Gold Nanoparticles Tagged With Radioactive Substance in the Treatment of Cancer
Researchers tagged gold nanoparticles with radiopharmaceutical to investigate their role in the treatment of telomerase-positive cancer

"We are eager to explore its use for other important biological molecules, including RNA." he added.

Disadvantages of DNA Vaccines

They may increase the risk of disrupting cellular process in the body.
There may be a chance of developing resistance towards the protein introduced by the vaccine.

References

Mohamed Shehata Draz et al. ‘Electrically Oscillating Plasmonic Nanoparticles for Enhanced DNA Vaccination against Hepatitis C Virus’ Advanced Functional Materials ; (2016). DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201604139
DNA vaccines - ( http://www.who.int/biologicals/areas/vaccines/dna/en/)
Advantages & Disadvantages of DNA Vaccines - (http://www.healthcentre.org.uk/vaccine/advantages-disadvantages-dna-vaccines.html)

Quiz on Nanotechnology and Nanoparticles
Nanotechnology refers to techniques that use engineering at a very small scale, that is, use nano-sized objects. Take this quiz to know more about nanotechnology.

Source-Medindia