Recent tests show that injectable nanoparticles can quickly neutralize a process that occurs after traumatic injuries, such as a stroke.
When such injuries occur, thousands of damaging reactive oxygen species molecules are overexpressed by the body’s cells. These molecules damage cells and cause mutations.
The nanoparticles, known as PEG-HCCs, appear to quickly stem the process of overoxidation by turning the dangerous molecules into less reactive substances.
Researchers hope an injection of PEG-HCCs as soon as possible after an injury, such as traumatic brain injury or stroke, can mitigate further brain damage by restoring normal oxygen levels to the brain’s sensitive circulatory system.
The results were reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
“Effectively, they bring the level of reactive oxygen species back to normal almost instantly,” says James Tour, a chemistry professor at Rice University. “This could be a useful tool for emergency responders who need to quickly stabilize an accident or heart attack victim or to treat soldiers in the field of battle.”
Tour led the new study with neurologist Thomas Kent of Baylor College of Medicine and biochemist Ah-Lim Tsai of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School.
