Researchers from Harvard University in the United States have built "DNA origami" nanorobots to hunt down and destroy cancer cells in the body.

The nanorobots can transport payloads such as drug molecules and antibodies to specific cells of the body, tech site Technorati reported.

"We can finally integrate sensing and logical computing functions via complex, yet predictable, nanostructures — some of the first hybrids of structural DNA, antibodies, aptamers and metal atomic clusters — aimed at useful, very specific targeting of human cancers and T-cells," Technorati quoted George Church, Ph.D., a Wyss core faculty member and Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School who is Principal Investigator on the project, as saying.

The report said the scientists used “DNA origami” to develop the containers with folded DNA chains.

Aptamers were used to lock the barrel-shaped robot and to recognize specific cell types.

Researchers used these robots in different cultures of cancerous cells such as leukemia and lymphoma, and found the unlocking of the robots occurred on contact with the cancer cell proteins.

This led to the release of antibodies that stopped the growth of the cancer cells.

"Although the robots caused some problems of toxicity but those problems were less than most of the chemicals and materials would have," Technorati said.

A separate article on tech site Mashable said the study was published in Science on Thursday. Its researchers - Shawn Douglas, Ido Bachelet, and Church - are all affiliated with Harvard University’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering.

Douglas developed the open-source software the researchers used called Cadnano to design the structures.

It said the nanorobots mimic a cell’s receptor system to communicate with cells.

Once the nanorobot detects the cells it is looking for, it will spring into action.

Each nanobot can hold molecules to be delivered to cells. On the outside of the nanobots would be two strands that could help recognize target cells, and release their contents at the right time.

While the system has yet to be tested in living organisms, the researchers are considering testing the nanorobots in mice. — TJD, GMA News

Originally posted here:
'DNA Origami' nanorobots hunt and kill cancer cells