2023-12-21 23:09:46
▲ Research results have shown that a drug that reduces inflammation in the brain was developed using siRNA. (Photo = DB)
[메디컬투데이=조민규 기자] Research results have shown that a drug that reduces inflammation in the brain was developed using siRNA (small interfering RNA).
The research results were published in ‘Advanced Materials’ along with a discussion of the new delivery mechanism for delivering siRNA to microglial cells.
It is known that siRNA is involved in the process of translating mRNA into protein and can stop protein production. This means that inflammation in the brain can be lowered by stopping the translation of specific proteins. However, drugs that act on the brain have the limitation of being difficult to transport to the brain because they must pass through the blood-brain barrier.
Previous research has shown that inflammation is the main cause of many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease. In particular, a transcription factor called PU.1 was found to be related to neuroinflammation that occurs in Alzheimer’s disease.
MIT researchers, who showed that inflammation can be reduced by suppressing the PU.1 transcription factor, confirmed that siRNA delivered to microglial cells can reduce the expression of the PU.1 transcription factor.
Author Dr. Owen Fenton noted that prolonged neuroinflammatory conditions lead to long-term damage to brain cells, and reducing this early on can improve the chances of recovery.
Additionally, the researchers developed seven lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulations to transport siRNA. The LNP formulation has already been used in Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine and is known to have confirmed safety and efficacy.
Through experiments on rats, researchers confirmed that injection into cerebrospinal fluid was most effective.
Medical Today Reporter Jo Min-gyu ([email protected])
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