Newly Discovered Molecule Could Deliver Drugs to Treat Diseases

"We know that in certain diseases subpopulations of cells have gone awry, and we'd like to be able to specifically target them instead of attacking every cell, including healthy ones."

Lipid-based systems may cause inflammation and may not properly bind to cells.

The peptides -- or bubbles -- can be made in a solution containing a drug or other molecule that becomes encapsulated as the peptide assembles, yielding a trapped compound, much like a gelatin capsule holds over-the-counter oral remedies.

The peptides can be designed to have the ability to target cells, tissues, tumors or organs, and to encapsulate chemical reagents, antibodies, toxins and inhibitors, Tomich said.

Kansas State University researchers have discovered a molecule that may be capable of delivering drugs inside the body to treat diseases.

The peptides can be designed to have the ability to target cells, tissues, tumors or organs, and to encapsulate chemical reagents, antibodies, toxins and inhibitors, Tomich said.

The peptides can be designed to have the ability to target cells, tissues, tumors or organs, and to encapsulate chemical reagents, antibodies, toxins and inhibitors, Tomich said.

The peptides can be designed to have the ability to target cells, tissues, tumors or organs, and to encapsulate chemical reagents, antibodies, toxins and inhibitors, Tomich said.

The peptides -- or bubbles -- can be made in a solution containing a drug or other molecule that becomes encapsulated as the peptide assembles, yielding a trapped compound, much like a gelatin capsule holds over-the-counter oral remedies.

The finding could improve gene therapy, which has the potential to cure diseases by replacing diseased cells with healthy ones.

The peptide vesicles could be delivered to appropriate cells in the body to treat diseases and minimize potential side effects.

Methods include cells with a virus being injected into the body, and liposomes -- fatty compounds -- carrying the genes.

Kansas State University collaborators include Sushanth Gudlur, May 2012 doctoral graduate in biochemistry, who first published the results in a dissertation; Pinakin Sukthankar, doctoral student in biochemistry; Jian Gao, former postdoctoral fellow in the department of biochemistry; Luz Adriana Avila Flores, graduate research assistant in the department of biochemistry; Yasuaki Hiromasa, research assistant professor of biochemistry; and Jianhan Chen, assistant professor of biochemistry.

"We know that in certain diseases subpopulations of cells have gone awry, and we'd like to be able to specifically target them instead of attacking every cell, including healthy ones."

When a virus is used, the body's immune system can attack the virus or cause a tumor.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Share This: 40 For the first time, researchers have designed and created a membrane-bounded vesicle formed entirely of peptides -- molecules made up of amino acids, the building blocks of protein.

Gene therapy is being tested in clinical trials, but the biggest challenge is how best to deliver the genes.

The peptides -- or bubbles -- can be made in a solution containing a drug or other molecule that becomes encapsulated as the peptide assembles, yielding a trapped compound, much like a gelatin capsule holds over-the-counter oral remedies.