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Home > News > 'Nanohorns' could prod immune system into action

June 20th, 2008

'Nanohorns' could prod immune system into action

Abstract:
The immune response triggered by carbon nanotube-like structures could be harnessed to help treat infectious diseases and cancers, say researchers.

The way tiny structures like nanotubes can trigger sometimes severe immune reactions has troubled researchers trying to use them as vehicles to deliver drugs inside the body in a targeted way.

White blood cells can efficiently detect and capture nanostructures, so much research is focused on allowing nanotubes and similar structures to pass unmolested in the body.

But a French-Italian research team plans to use nanohorns, a cone-shaped variety of carbon nanotubes, to deliberately provoke the immune system.

They think that the usually unwelcome immune response could kickstart the body into fighting a disease or cancer more effectively.

Source:
technology.newscientist.com

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