Theranostic Nano-objects: Basic Principles and Initial Applications

描述（由申请人提供）：我们的目标是为治疗（治疗+诊断）纳米物体的广泛应用建立基础科学基础和工程原理，定义为紧凑的自主分子装置，能够在发生病理事件或采取纠正措施之前分析多种生物标志物。我们的工作将集中在控制动态“卵”（纳米卵）行为的方法上，这些卵由脱氧核糖核酸制成，包括传感器、成像和/或治疗部分以及分子计算功能。卵可以根据提示打开（解锁）或关闭（锁定），这个提示可以是一个或多个生物标志物存在或不存在的综合信息。为了展示治疗性纳米物体的变革潜力，我们将绘制出越来越复杂的工程行为，以证明现有技术无法满足的治疗应用的概念。例如，如果分析物高于（如葡萄糖）或低于（如抗利尿激素）其“正常”浓度，我们将：(i)打开阴性；（ii）基于多个表面标记物标记消除/成像狭窄的细胞亚群，同时保护在单一标记物上不同的细胞（例如淋巴细胞）；（iii）证明MRI造影剂在靶细胞类型（例如b细胞）上的扩增作用。1

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Our goal is to establish basic science foundations and engineering principles for the broad applications of theranostic (therapeutic+diagnostic) nano-objects, defined as compact autonomous molecular devices capable of analyzing multiple biomarkers before signaling that there are pathological events or before taking corrective actions. Our effort will center on methods to control behavior of dynamic "neggs" (nano-eggs), made of deoxyribonucleic acids, and comprising sensors, imaging and/or therapeutic moieties, and molecular computing functions. Neggs can open (be unlocked) or close (be locked) on cue, and this cue can be integrated information on the presence or absence of one or more biomarkers. In order to showcase the transformative potential of theranostic nano-objects, we will map increasingly complex engineered behaviors of neggs to proof-of-concepts for therapeutic applications for which no other existing technologies are satisfactory. For example, we will: (i) open a negg if an analyte raises above (e.g., glucose) or drops below (e.g., vasopressin) its "normal" concentration; (ii) mark for elimination/imaging narrow subpopulations of cells based on multiple surface markers, while protecting cells that differ in a single marker (e.g., on lymphocytes); and (iii) demonstrate amplification of MRI contrast agents on a targeted cell type (exemplified on b-cells). 1