Nanotechnology Tool Paves Way for Gene Therapy

28 March 2007

Gene therapy involves treating disease and illness by manipulating genes rather than relying on drugs. While practical in theory, it has not yet become a reality because of the difficulty of properly aligning the genes in order to render accurate treatment. Nanotechnology can potentially be the answer.

This is the conclusion reached by a team of Engineers at the University of Wisconsin, who have developed a Nanotechnology tool to do just that. The devices, created by David M. Lynn and others, consist of Nanoscale films. These are ultrathin layers of DNA and water-soluble polymers. When used to coat medical implants, these layers offer a time-release method for directing the genes to the right location in the body.

These Nanoscale films have already been used in other medical applications, such as coatings for metal stents that are used to open clogged arteries. The new devices are being improved upon to deliver better results for the stents as well. They would do this by manipulating genes in such as way as to prevent the re-growth of tissue into stents, thus eliminating future clogging of the treated area. So far, the results of this Nanotechnology tool look promising, for both its application in stents and as a mechanism for gene delivery. Work has been done in laboratory dishes and with animals such as rabbits, with satisfactory results.

The Nanotechnology tool works in tandem with body tissue. Cell tissue triggers a release of the DNA from the film. The DNA is bundled in polymers which are easily assimilated into cells. At that point, the genes issue instructions that result in the manufacturing of proteins. The films are made using various solutions, and the resulting film is roughly 1/10000th the size of a sheet of paper. In order to extract DNA back out of the films, polymers are layered between films of DNA. When exposed to water, the polymers break down and release the DNA. The engineers have been able to tweak the amount of DNA being released by experimenting with the number of polymer layers or changing the order of the layers.

Eventually, researchers hope to use these films as a starting point to create a wide range of medical applications that would benefit from Nanotechnology-enabled gene therapy.

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