一项研究发现，金的纳米棒可能提供一种季节和大流行流感有效疗法的给药方法。在流感感染中，一种称为RIG-I的RNA传感器激活了人的天然免疫系统，后者然后开始抵御这种病毒。一种称为5'PPP-ssRNA的配位体激活了RIG-I；然而，科学家无法让这种配位体进入细胞。
Paras N. Prasad及其同事把5'PPP-ssRNA附加在了金纳米棒上，此前的研究发现金纳米棒可以安全地把分子送入细胞。当科学家把含有5'PPP-ssRNA的金纳米复合体送入受到季节流感病毒或者2009年H1N1大流感病毒感染的培养人类上皮细胞之后，这些细胞成功地吸收了它们。
此外，这种纳米复合体激活了一种抗病毒应答，并减少了季节流感病毒和2009 H1N1流感病毒的复制。这组作者说，这些发现提示，具有生物相容性的纳米复合体有潜力用于治疗季节流感和2009年H1N1流感暴发。
生物谷推荐原文出处：
PNAS doi: 10.1073/pnas.0914561107
Gold nanorod delivery of an ssRNA immune activator inhibits pandemic H1N1 influenza viral replication
Krishnan V. Chakravarthya,b,c,1, Adela C. Bonoiud,1, William G. Davisb,1, Priya Ranjanb, Hong Dingd, Rui Hud, J. Bradford Bowzardb, Earl J. Bergeyd, Jacqueline M. Katzb, Paul R. Knighta,c,d, Suryaprakash Sambharab,2, and Paras N. Prasadd,2
aDepartment of Anesthesiology and Microbiology and Immunology, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14214;
bInfluenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333;
cVeterans Affairs Medical Center, Buffalo, NY 14215; and
dInstitute of Lasers, Photonics, and Biophotonics, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260
The emergence of the pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza virus has become a world-wide health concern. As drug resistance appears, a new generation of therapeutic strategies will be required. Here, we introduce a nanotechnology approach for the therapy of pan-demic and seasonal influenza virus infections. This approach uses gold nanorods (GNRs) to deliver an innate immune activator, pro-ducing a localized therapeutic response. We demonstrated the utility of a biocompatible gold nanorod, GNR-5′PPP-ssRNA nanoplex, as an antiviral strategy against type A influenza virus. In human respiratory bronchial epithelial cells, this nanoplex activated the retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) pathogen recognition pathway, resulting in increased expression of IFN-β and other IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) (e.g., PKR, MDA5, IRF1, IRF7, and MX1). This increase in type I IFN and ISGs resulted in a decrease in the replication of H1N1 influenza viruses. These findings suggest that further evaluation of biocompatible nanoplexes as unique antivirals for treatment of seasonal and pandemic influenza viruses is warranted.
