Virus-inspired method to deliver drugs to brain

In a first, researchers have engineered small particles, similar to the size of viruses, to cross the protective border separating the circulating blood from the brain, an advance that may pave the way for improved drug delivery to the organ.

The study, noted that the new method allowed for combination drug delivery, through intravenous injections to cross the blood-brain-barrier(BBB).

The researchers, synthesised and modified components from a virus that targets the brain- a bacteriophage fd-- to deliver drugs across the BBB.

When the " small, hairy particle" that they developed was injected into mice, the system crossed the BB and targeted the brain, reaching neurons and other special brain cells, the study noted.

According to the researchers, most drugs are excluded from the brain by the protective blood-brain-barrier and current treatment options aimed at crossing this barrier were risky.

Crossing the BB has hindered the industry from effectively addressing central nervous system diseases, including brain tumours and many neurological diseases like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Huntington's, said the lead author of the study.

However, he added that some viruses have found ways to bypass the BB and enter the brain.

" We are very excited by our research-- our delivery system is versatile and  amenable to modifications, so, in principle, we can hopefully address shortfalls in drug delivery to the brain through intravenous injection, said the author.

The new delivery system, based on more than a decade of research, has significant implications for developing drugs that can cross the BB, and other biological barriers, the researchers said.

The researchers said that the method may open up several opportunities to address neuro-degenerative diseases with modern therapeutics.

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Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/science-and-environment/virus-inspired-method-to-deliver-drugs-to-brain-study-767866.html

New Study Suggests an Easy Method To Get a Better Memory

Scientists may have discovered a new way of training and improving our memory and it's nothing like you might expect. It doesn't require you to write in journals, solve sudoku or crossword puzzles or exercise, it does require, however, for you to try new things and hope for the best, and this theory is based on a chemical found in your brain called dopamine. What do we mean? To find out more about this method, just continue reading.

What is dopamine and why is it important for my memory?

Neurotransmitters are the on and off switches of our brain, and the more scientists learn about then, the better we understand how our brains work and what causes anything from forgetfulness to neurological problems to mental illness. One of the 'lead actors' in our brains is dopamine, a neurotransmitter produced in our brains that has been time and time again linked to motivation and anticipation, as its levels increase when you expect a reward, making you feel bliss and joy.

Like when you're trying hard to open a jar of pickles, and then, after countless struggles with the lid, you finally succeed and get a crunchy pickle that you could swear somehow tastes much better than an ordinary pickle.

Low levels of dopamine, on the other hand, have been time and time linked to mental illness and depression, with many treatments working towards increasing the levels of this neurotransmitter in the brain. Okay, but what about memories, how does dopamine influence those?

Research links the formation of episodic memories with high dopamine levels, so the lack of this hormone in the brain may be the culprit behind bad memory and even memory disorders like Alzheimer’s and dementia. And though there are medical treatments that can increase the amount of dopamine in the brain, scientists are currently looking into games and other less invasive treatments that train your memory by increasing your dopamine levels. We will discuss one of such treatments below.

A recent study showed how an unexpected reward in a computer game caused the formation of memories.

In this study, the researchers hypothesized that an unexpected big win in the game will make them remember pictures better, as it is known that dopamine levels rise the most in the presence of unexpected results. The more surprising and thrilling the victory, the believed, the more likely a person should be able to remember something.

To test how well the participants remembered the pictures, they asked almost 300 participants to select the pictures secretly associated with a reward from a selection of similar pictures. They tested them twice, first 5 minutes after the game, and then once more 24 hours later to see if the memories were lasting.

The study found that, indeed, the participants managed to form more vivid memories when they’ve seen an unexpected good outcome, and the higher the risk of failure, the more likely were the participants to remember. The researchers believe that this game can train the players’ memory and make it better long term, and they plan to test if people with mental or physical conditions associated with low production of dopamine will behave the same way healthy participants do.

In the meantime, it might be useful for you to know that you don’t have to actually play this specific game to improve your memory. Any unexpected positive reward, like finding a new favorite coffee shop, accidentally stumbling upon a friend while grocery shopping, or even winning in a card game you just learned will all improve your memory and make you remember seemingly ordinary events more vividly and fondly.

Most definitely, this research motivates us to try new things, visit new places and surprise yourself and others more often.

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Now a new method to help treat malaria

Scientists have discovered a new molecules that can kill the malaria parasite, paving way for effective treatment for the disease. Using ultra sophisticated computerised modelling tools, researchers were successful in identifying a type of candidate molecules toxic for the pathogen, but not for the infected human red blood cells. The most severe form of malaria is caused by infection with Plasmodium falciparum. The eradication of this parasite is even more difficult as it becomes resistant to treatments.
 
The group led by Didier Picard from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, showed interest in the protein Heat Shock Protein 90 (HSP90), which plays a central role for several factors involved in the life cycle, survival and resistance of the pathogen. Expressed in organisms as diverse as bacteria and mammal cells, HSP90 acts as a ‘chaperone’, by helping other proteins during both normal and stressful periods.

In the Plasmodium, HSP90 protects parasitic proteins during high fevers triggered by its presence. The chaperone also participates in the maturation of the pathogen in human red blood cells. ‘Our goal was to determine if there was a difference between the human form and the parasitic form of HSP90 that we could exploit for therapeutic purposes,’ said Tai Wang, a PhD student at the Department of Cell Biology of UNIGE.

Wang used ultra-sophisticated computerised modelling tools to characterise the various tridimensional conformations of the parasite’s HSP90.
 
By studying the HSP90 of the pathogen from every possible
 angle, Wang found another pocket capable of binding inhibitory substances, completely absent in its human alter ego. Using a supercomputer, he performed the screening of a virtual library containing more than a million chemical compounds while retaining those that could fit in this pocket. (Read: Indian origin scientist finds a new way to treat deadly malaria)

This screening in silico led him to select five candidates. ‘The simulations were conducted to analyse the dynamics of interaction between the HSP90 and the candidates, leading to the discovery of inhibitors which interact specifically with the Plasmodium falciparum chaperone,’ researchers said. The molecules were then tested in vitro in different systems. The biologists demonstrated in particular the toxicity of those inhibitors on Plasmodium falciparum cultures, in doses sufficient to kill the parasites without affecting the infected red blood cells, researchers said.

The study was published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.

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