Posted on 06/24/2013 2:45:14 AM PDT by neverdem
© Shutterstock
A US high school teacher and nine of his students have made nanoparticles that can neutralise venom from one of the most dangerous snakes in Africa. These nanoparticles could offer a way to make cheaper and more practical antivenoms.
Traditional antivenoms are made by injecting sublethal toxin doses into an animal to invoke an immune response. Antibodies produced in this immune response are then harvested from the animal’s serum. Such antivenoms are not only expensive but they also required refrigeration – a major limitation considering antivenoms are often required in remote locations.
Now, Steven Sogo and his best students from Laguna Beach High School in California, have synthesised nanoparticles that will selectively bind to toxins in venom from the Mozambique Spitting Cobra. In vitro tests showed that, by binding to the toxins, the nanoparticles can prevent the toxins from causing cellular damage.
All experimental work was done by the students – a small group would work on the project for a year and then pass it onto a new group the following year. ‘The students learnt the importance of documenting their work well enough so that next year’s students could carry it forwards,’ says Sogo.
They began by designing a mixture of acrylamide monomers expected to electrostatically and hydrophobically interact with toxins in the venom. Cobra toxins added to the mixture acted as templates for polymerisation of the monomers and subsequent removal of the toxins, by dialysis, left nanoparticles with cavities complementary to the toxins.
‘I think this work is another compelling example of the possibilities offered by the molecular imprinting technique,’ says Antonio Guerreiro, a synthetic antibodies expert at the University of Cranfield, UK. ‘For years molecular recognition was largely entrusted to antibodies, but recently, synthetic analogues such as molecularly-imprinted nanoparticles have emerged as a viable and robust alternative. This technique may provide an entirely new generation of antidotes and therapeutic agents, overcoming the stability problems encountered by natural macromolecules.’
Sogo presumes the idea could work on toxins from any venomous animal. He hopes that other groups will try using molecularly-imprinted polymers to make antivenoms: ‘I think the world would benefit from this.’
S Piszkiewicz et al, Chem. Commun., 2013, 49, 5954–5956 (DOI: 10.1039/c3cc42394h)
I made a volcano in high school chemistry class once.
I used sugar cubes to make a pyramid. However we didn’t have a 3D printer...
impressive
So we are ready for a surge of Mozambique Spitting Cobras. I live in snake country and have never seen one of those buggers. Why didn’t the geniuses develop an anti toxin for one of the American rattle snakes? That would have been useful.
An alternative research project would be the attributes of high-end sneakers. I have no idea why, but inner city boys given internet access at school almost invariably tune into pages of sneakers. They lovingly admire and look over the pictures of the sneakers as though they were Ferraris or fine thoroughbred horses. I have seen this over and over again. Go figure.
The reaction of PETA, et al, will be that this is a horrible thing because now humans have no need to keep ANY of these snakes around and we, the speciesists that we are, will simply try to kill all the snakes.
"Sogo presumes the idea could work on toxins from any venomous animal. He hopes that other groups will try using molecularly-imprinted polymers to make antivenoms: ‘I think the world would benefit from this.’"
There is no reason the technique should not work for other (if not most) venoms.
Possibly because the number of people who die from poisonous snake bites in Mozambique and other parts of Africa (or from King Cobra in India assuming the species are related and venom may be similar) far exceeds the number who die from Rattle Snake bites in the United States. My guess is more people die from bee stings than snake bite here. Or maybe the teacher’s name, Sogo, is a clue. Either way (if it works, so far only tested in vitro) the technique could save lives.
Because they didn’t have a whining creaton like you on the advisery pannel maybe?
If you wish to insult me, please spell it correctly. Also, I do not whine; perhaps snivel but never whine.
FReepmail me if you want on or off my combined microbiology/immunology ping list.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.