Development of a new gene transfer therapy using nanobubbles in temporomandibular jyoint

颞下颌关节的慢性炎症改变了骨骼和软骨，这给患者带来了长期的疼痛和牙关紧闭。目前只有对症治疗可用于这种功能障碍。 我们的目标是建立一种长期减少炎症的方法，通过直接递送在颞下颌关节中产生炎症减少蛋白的基因。在这项研究中，我们调查了颞下颌关节组织的治疗基因应用的可能性。作为该方法，基因被放置在纳米气泡中，一个非常小的外壳，然后应用超声波以有效地将基因递送到组织中。结果显示足够量的基因递送用于治疗。我们计划通过动物试验来评估该方法的效果。

Chronic inflammation in the temporomandibular joint alters bone and cartilage, which gives patients long term pain and trismus. Only symptomatic treatments are currently available for this dysfunction. We aim to establish a method for long term reduction in inflammation, by directly delivering a gene which produces an inflammation reducing protein in the temporomandibular joint. In this study, we investigated the possibility of a therapeutic gene application for temporomandibular joint tissues. As the method, the gene is placed in a nano-bubble, a very small shell, and then ultrasound is applied in order for efficient gene delivery to the tissues. The results show a sufficient amount of gene delivery for treatment. We plan to evaluate the effect of the method by testing in animals.