The ointment uses gene regulation technology and it is designed to accelerate the healing process. The ointment contains spherical nucleic acids (SNAs, which are nanoscale globular forms of RNA). These nucleic acids are mixed with a moisturizer, and they block a gene within the human body that interferes with wound healing. The gene, when present, triggers a depleting enzyme called GM3 synthase, which slows down the rate of wound healing.
Large numbers of people who suffer with Type 2 diabetes develop have chronic, non-healing skin wounds on their feet. In the most serious of cases these can result in the need for amputation. These risks have driven new research into topically applied creams that can help to address the condition.
The active basis of the cream is the SNA particles. Each individual SNA has a nanoparticle core constructed from gold. This is so tiny that it takes only 40 strands of RNA to cover the entire particle. The nanoparticle acts as the drug delivery mechanism. Importantly, through various trials, the researchers found that the spherical shape was key to the effective delivery of the nucleic acids to the wound.
The nucleic acid containing moisturizer has been tried out on studies using mice. For this examination, mice were divided up into two groups, where both sets of mice were given serious wounds (of the sort designed to mimic the wounds that people with diabetes could suffer from.) In one group, the test product was administered and in the other group a control product was topically applied. The control product was an existing ointment to treat wounds, but it did not contain the gold nanoparticle-SNA combination.
The experimental outcomes were that the wounds in the treated animals were healed by 12 days; the control group’s wounds took 18 days to heal.
Beyond the study, the potential for SNAs is large. The nucleic acids are not toxic to people and could, theoretically, be applied to any gene target. This means that other medical conditions, where an ointment is required, could be treated using the technology.
The research was led by scientists Amy S. Paller and chemist Chad A. Mirkin, both based at the Northwestern University in the U.S. The study has been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The research is called: “siRNA-Based Spherical Nucleic Acids Reverse Impaired Wound Healing in Diabetic Mice by GM3 Synthase Knockdown.”
