Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > Press > Study: Repetitive Motion Speeds Nanoparticle Uptake

Abstract:
Newly published research by Rice University chemists and North Carolina State University toxicologists finds that repetitive movement can speed the uptake of nanoparticles through the skin. The research, which appears in the Jan. 10 issue of the American Chemical Society's journal Nano Letters, involved vitro experiments on animal skin that was exposed to buckyball-containing amino acids. Researchers found that the more the skin was flexed after exposure, the more buckyballs it took up and the deeper they penetrated.

Study: Repetitive Motion Speeds Nanoparticle Uptake

HOUSTON, TX | Posted on January 4th, 2007

Newly published research by Rice University chemists and North Carolina State University toxicologists finds that repetitive movement can speed the uptake of nanoparticles through the skin.

The research is based on in vitro experiments involving animal skin that was exposed to buckyball-containing amino acids. It appears in the Jan. 10 issue of the American Chemical Society's journal Nano Letters.

"Our results confirm that repetitive motion can speed the passage of nanoparticles through the skin," said Nancy Monteiro-Riviere, professor of investigative dermatology and toxicology at NC State. "As more nanoparticles find their way into the workplace and consumer goods, and as scientists look for innovative ways to use nanoparticles to delivery drugs into the body, it
is critical that the nanoscience community identify these types of external exposure factors."

In the study, a solution of buckyball-containing amino acids were placed on small sections of pig skin. In some experiments, the skin was held still, and in others it was flexed for either an hour or an hour and a half. Measurements were taken eight hours after exposure and 24 hours after
exposure.

The team found that the more the skin was flexed, the more buckyballs it took up and the deeper they penetrated. Penetration was also found to be deeper after 24 hours than after just eight.

Buckyballs, are spherical, soccer-ball-shaped molecules containing 60 carbon atoms. The buckyballs used in the study were part of an innovative molecule called Bucky amino acid, or Baa, that was created in the lab of Rice chemist Andrew Barron. Baa is a marriage of buckyballs and phenylalanine, one of the 20 essential amino acids that are the building blocks of all proteins.

"The findings were a bit surprising because the Bucky amino acids tend to form spherical clusters that are up to 12 times larger in diameter than the known width of intercellular gaps in the skin," said Barron, the Charles W. Duncan Jr.-Welch Professor of Chemistry, professor of materials science and associate dean for industry interactions and technology transfer. "It's not clear why flexing increases the uptake of fullerene peptides, but it will be important to further investigate these mechanisms as we study the medical potential of Bucky amino acids."

Co-authors include NC State graduate student Jillian Rouse and Rice graduate student Jianzhong Yang.

The research was funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Academies Keck Futures Initiative and the Welch Foundation.

####

About Rice University
About Rice University
Rice University is consistently ranked one of America’s best teaching and research universities. It is distinguished by its: size—2,850 undergraduates and 1,950 graduate students; selectivity—10 applicants for each place in the freshman class; resources—an undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6-to-1, and the fifth largest endowment per student among American universities; residential college system, which builds communities that are both close-knit and diverse; and collaborative culture, which crosses disciplines, integrates teaching and research, and intermingles undergraduate and graduate work. Rice’s wooded campus is located in the nation’s fourth largest city and on America’s South Coast.

For more information, please click here

Contacts:
Jade Boyd
713-348-6778

Copyright © Rice University

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

Nanomedicine

High-tech 'paint' could spare patients repeated surgeries March 8th, 2024

Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Discoveries

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024

High-tech 'paint' could spare patients repeated surgeries March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Announcements

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Safety-Nanoparticles/Risk management

First human trial shows ‘wonder’ material can be developed safely: A revolutionary nanomaterial with huge potential to tackle multiple global challenges could be developed further without acute risk to human health, research suggests February 16th, 2024

New research may make future design of nanotechnology safer with fewer side effects: Study shows a promising strategy to reduce adverse reactions to nanoparticles by using complement inhibitors October 6th, 2023

Tests find no free-standing nanotubes released from tire tread wear September 8th, 2023

Billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving baby food containers: Exposure to plastic particles kills up to 75% of cultured kidney cells July 21st, 2023

Human Interest/Art

Drawing data in nanometer scale September 30th, 2022

Scientists prepare for the world’s smallest race: Nanocar Race II March 18th, 2022

Graphene nanotubes revolutionize touch screen use for prosthetic hands August 3rd, 2021

JEOL Announces 2020 Microscopy Image Grand Prize Winners January 7th, 2021

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project