New method 'prevents' Parkinson's with nanotechnology

Concentrated clumps of protein in the brain have been linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's.

Now, newly identified nanoobjects show great promise in destabilizing the structure of these blocks. From there, potentially leading to new treatments. The study was published in the journal Nature Communications.

PFFNB2 binds tightly to the building blocks of proteins, helping to break them down efficiently.

The protein at the heart of the study is called alpha-synuclein. This protein is thought to play important roles in the brain. However, it can fold incorrectly and clump together into what is known as the Lewy body.

These substances can affect the function of nerve cells and even start killing them. It is also associated with neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease.

Much of the research on Parkinson's has focused on this Lewy body. Studies show the 'double life' of proteins, how clumps can form first in the gut before reaching the brain, or even it's an autoimmune disease. Other research groups have targeted Lewy bodies with artificial enzymes or purified peptides, with promising results.

For the new study, scientists at the Johns Hopkins Medicine healthcare system and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor (USA), studied the use of nanoparticles to disrupt Lewy bodies.

Nanobody is a smaller version of an antibody protein, used by the immune system to find pathogens. Their smaller size allows them to pass through the membranes of brain cells, where they can bind to and break down clumps of alpha-synuclein.

Normally, these nano-objects would break down inside the cell. So, the team that designed them lack certain chemical bonds that are vulnerable in the process. This approach, they found, stabilized the nanoparticles without reducing their ability to bind to the alpha-synuclein block.

After testing 7 nanobody, the researchers determined, version PFFNB2 is the best candidate. In tests on brain cells and living tissue of mice, PFFNB2 was found to be stable. At the same time, tightly binds to the protein blocks, helping to break them down effectively.

"PFFNB2 blocks alpha-synuclein blocks from spreading to the rat cerebral cortex," said study co-author Ramhari Kumbhar. This is the area responsible for perception, movement, personality and other processes'.

Importantly, the team found, the nanobodies only attack the alpha-synuclein block, not individual molecules capable of carrying out important functions in brain cells.

The study's lead author, Xiabo Mao, said nanotechnology could be the key to helping scientists study neurodegenerative diseases. As a result, new treatment methods have been developed.