Scientists develop high stability, sensitivity disease probe

A local team of scientists have developed a new method for detecting particles specific to particular conditions, opening new possibilities for early diagnosis.

With many chronic conditions, early detection is crucial for effective treatment. Even with incurable conditions such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS, entering a treatment regime early on can extend the patient’s life expectancy for as much as several decades. 

As different conditions can have similar effects on the body in the early stages, accurate diagnosis requires analysis on the molecular level.

Biological assays typically use materials that bind to others that are found in the body when affected by specific conditions.

Such advanced methods are not without flaws. Many commonly used biological assay techniques have relatively low sensitivity and the probes used to detect the disease-specific materials can be unstable.

However, such drawbacks may soon become a thing of the past.

A team of scientists led by Korea University professor Lee Jee-won has developed a new high-sensitivity biological probe technique that uses stable, easily produced probes.

In addition, the team’s method allows probes that bind different materials to be attached to a single structure, allowing more than one condition to be tested for through a single assay.

The team’s method, published in the international journal Advanced Materials, uses what is known as ferritin-based nanoprobe.

Ferritin is a type of protein found in almost all organisms that store iron.

In humans, ferritin consists of light and heavy chain subunits.

In developing the method, Lee and his team took the gene for the heavy subunit of ferritin, and attached the gene for a protein that binds to a specific part of a protein found in the human immunodeficiency virus. The segment of DNA containing the two genes was then inserted into E. coli bacteria.

The team also produced a ferritin-based nanoprobe designed to bind to proteins that are used to diagnose Sjogren Syndrome.

Sjogren Syndrome is a condition in which an afflicted person’s own immune system attacks and destroys glands that produce tears and saliva. While Sjogren Syndrome is not related to AIDS, the condition and complications accompanying certain AIDS cases share several symptoms.

The inserted DNA led to the production of ferritin subunit-probe complex or ferritin-based nanoprobe, or FBNP.

Lee and his team were then able to stimulate the FNBPs containing the probes specific to AIDS and Sjogren Syndrome to form into a larger structure in which the probes displayed high stability. The probes were also evenly distributed across the globular structure, which allows for higher-sensitivity tests.

In addition, the team’s method can easily be applied to producing probes for other conditions on a large scale due to the relatively simple production method.

By Choi He-suk  (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)