RNA Nanoparticles Constructed to Safely Deliver Long-Lasting Therapy to Cells (Sourced From Science Daily)

RNA is a vital part in the process of changing DNA to different proteins which can act as enzymes (catalyst for chemical reactions inside our bodies) and many other important functions in the body. In fact almost everything you look at when you see another person is protein (except the clothes!), their skin is protein, even their eyes are protein just arranged in a special way to allow light to pass through.



RNA plays the important role of taking the DNA's codes out of the nucleus of the cell (mRNA) and attaching it to tRNA via codons and anti-codons on the mRNA and tRNA respectively. The tRNA has a single protein attached to one end, while the mRNA attaches to the other. Then the mRNA and tRNA enter a organelle of the cell called a ribosome. The ribosome is responsible for separating the protein form the RNA's in an order so that the original DNA's code is preserved and as if by magic you have got proteins originating from you DNA's code that ultimately make up you, and control the processes that keep you going!



Anyway, RNA therapy can be very helpful in the process of altering damaged cells (especially cancer cells). The damaged cells can be targeted by using pRNA (packages of RNA) at a Nano-size scale. Basically, cancer cells are multiplying out of control because there DNA code has mutated or been damaged eg. by the effects of smoking (See videos above), so therefore it is imperative that if we want to stop the cancer cells spreading so fast, or just kill them, we must first target the cells and then alter there replicating structure (in the form of DNA makes RNA makes Proteins) which is what the  research is trying to achieve, see http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110421091125.htm  


 "The researchers detail multiple approaches for the construction of a functional 117-base pRNA molecule containing small interfering RNA (siRNA)." The siRNA is used as a way of making genes in cells ineffective, but siRNA has only been produced so that it would only last for around 30mins in the body and often caused unwanted immune responses. 



Research will continue to be conducted by Professor Peixuan Guo (University of Cincinnati) into this cell therapy, and I will keep all followers up to date with any more advances made.



I will be happy to take any questions about any of the topic areas I have covered.