02. Ready, Set, Activate Nano-Keys!
Barbara Baird
Barbara A. Baird, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, and research colleagues created a set of “nano-keys” to interact with receptors on cell membranes and trigger responses within cells, such as the release of histamines in an allergic response. Such processes begin at the molecular level on the cell’s surface and lead to a systemwide response. By engineering materials at scales at which they occur, the researchers found that shorter ligands (molecules that bind to receptors) were better at stimulating these processes. After fabricating Y-shaped DNA chains of certain specifications to use as building materials, the researchers discovered that they could stimulate the release of histamines and trigger other basic cellular processes. Baird and colleagues also created surfaces of silicon with a layer of polymer or a thin lipid bilayer. As cells bind to engineered surfaces and get turned on, researchers can see how the cell is organizing itself due to the stimulus. This new tool provides a way to understand better how cell membranes activate responses within cells, a long-studied topic with few results. Scientists might use this approach to design ligands that trigger a desired response or inhibit an allergic reaction, preventing the release of histamines and inflammatory mediators. New drug therapies to treat allergies, high cholesterol, and viral infections could result.