{"id":49587,"date":"2017-03-21T18:47:56","date_gmt":"2017-03-21T09:47:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/?p=49587"},"modified":"2017-03-28T14:22:51","modified_gmt":"2017-03-28T05:22:51","slug":"near-infrared-radiation-for-remotely-stimulating-muscle-cells","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/news\/49587","title":{"rendered":"Near-infrared radiation for remote activation of muscle cells"},"content":{"rendered":"

New method using nanotechnology is safer and more precise<\/span><\/h1>\n

Researchers developed a new method for remotely controlling skeletal muscles, <\/span>using near-infrared radiation to mildly heat gold nanoshells attached to muscle <\/span>tissues. This new process avoids negative side effects of previous methods, and is <\/span>already being used in several clinical and preclinical applications, including cancer <\/span>therapy and neural cell stimulation.\u00a0It may possibly be used for deep tissues as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

The research appeared online on ACS Nano<\/em><\/a> by the American Chemical Society. It was also introduced in the news and views section of Nature Publishing Group\u2019s Nature Nanotechnology<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"20170307suzuki_eyecatch.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Various ways have been proposed to stimulate muscle cells and induce muscle <\/span>contraction. Though electrical stimulation is proven to be effective, disadvantages <\/span>include uneven response and release of toxic species caused by electrolysis. <\/span>Therefore, alternative methods have been called for. <\/span><\/p>\n

Researchers from Italy, Japan and Singapore develop new method <\/span><\/h6>\n

A research group co-led by Madoka Suzuki of Waseda University developed a new <\/span>technique using gold nanoshells, nanoparticles about 120nm in diameter, made of a <\/span>silica core coated with 10nm of gold. Applying near-infrared radiation of 800nm <\/span>heats cells containing the gold nanoshells, through a phenomenon known as <\/span>photothermal conversion, which activates specific proteins and induces muscle <\/span>contraction. Whereas other common methods cause \u201cspillover\u201d stimulation of <\/span>surrounding tissues, this technique enables activation of specific areas through <\/span>targeted placement of the gold nanoshells. The new process also avoids calcium <\/span>fluxes which damage muscle cells. <\/span><\/p>\n

These findings show great potential in the fields of muscle tissue engineering, <\/span>regenerative medicine and bionics. Gold nanoshells have also been added to <\/span>hydrogels to create thermally responsive polymers for drug delivery to deep tissues. <\/span>Other promising applications include heat-induced tissue welding for laceration <\/span>treatment and absorbance-based biosensing for the quantification of biomarkers in <\/span>whole blood. <\/span><\/p>\n

For more information on this research, contact Madoka Suzuki <\/span>(suzu_mado@aoni.waseda.jp<\/a>), Researcher at\u00a0<\/span>Waseda Bioscience Research <\/span>Institute in Singapore (WABIOS)<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

Future work will focus on the translation of this approach to muscle tissues\u00a0<\/span>in vivo<\/span>, <\/span>as well as investigation of the role of chronic photothermal stimulation on <\/span>mitochondrial biogenesis and on myocyte differentiation. <\/span><\/p>\n

Published article<\/h5>\n