Nature Sub-Journal: Nanoparticles can target white blood cells that cause acute lung inflammation

The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the devastating effects of acute lung inflammation (ALI), which is part of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and ARDS is the main cause of death from COVID-19
.

A potential new route for diagnosis and treatment of ARDS comes from studying neutrophils-white blood cells are responsible for detecting and eliminating harmful particles in the body-distinguishing the surface structure of the material's absorption material, which is conducive to the absorption of particles, showing "protein coagulation," University of Pennsylvania A new study from the Perelman School of Medicine shows

Researchers investigated how neutrophils distinguish between destroyed bacteria and other compounds in the blood, such as cholesterol particles
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They tested a library of 23 different protein-based nanoparticles in mice with ALI, revealing a set of "rules" for predicting neutrophil uptake

"We hope to use the existing functions of neutrophils to identify and eliminate invaders to inform how to design a'Trojan horse' nanoparticles.
Overactive neutrophils will ingest and provide treatment to relieve ALI and ARDS.

"Said Dr.

Jacob Myerson, the first author of the study and a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapy

Acute respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome are life-threatening forms of respiratory failure with high morbidity and mortality
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Before COVID-19, there were 190,000 ARDS cases and 75,000 deaths in the United States each year.

To solve acute respiratory distress syndrome and other medical problems, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and elsewhere have been using nanoparticles to concentrate drugs in injured or diseased organs
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Such nanoparticles are also used in gene therapy and immunotherapy

This group of scientists pointed out that although there is still a long way to go in the development of a feasible treatment for ALI/ARDS that uses nanoparticles to provide treatment through neutrophils, this research represents a step forward in understanding the status and function of the immune system.
An important step
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"Now that we have determined that neutrophils will patrol nanoparticles with agglutinin, our next step is to understand how and why other microorganisms, such as viruses, these rigid and symmetrical microorganisms have evolved to avoid neutrophils.
Yes," said senior author Dr.
Jacob Brenner, an associate professor of pulmonary medicine in the Department of Pulmonary Disease, Allergy, and Intensive Care
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"With this knowledge, we can continue to use this unique combination of materials science and engineering to create specific disease treatments for more advanced and complex pathologies

Article title

Supramolecular arrangement of protein in nanoparticle structures predicts nanoparticle tropism for neutrophils in acute lung inflammation