Near-infrared nanoparticle devices for COVID-19 taste disorders treatment

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K19902
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 90:Biomedical engineering and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Science
• Principal Investigator: Kamimura Masao 東京理科大学, 先進工学部機能デザイン工学科, 准教授 (80706888)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-06-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ナノ粒子 / 近赤外光 / フォトサーマル効果 / TRPチャネル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research, we developed nanoparticles that generate heat (photothermal effect) in response to near-infrared light and activate temperature-sensitive ion channels on cell membranes that are also involved in taste, providing basic knowledge for treatments that restore taste. The prepared photothermal nanoparticles exhibited excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, and photothermal effects. These also bound to TRPV1, a typical temperature-sensitive ion channel on the cell membrane, and promoted the influx of sodium ions into neurons and increasing the membrane potential under near-infrared irradiation. Based on these results, it is expected that the photothermal nanoparticles developed in this research can be applied to activate nerve cells including taste cells.

Free Research Field

生体医工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

新型コロナウイルス感染者の後遺症などにみられる味覚・嗅覚障害は、その症状が長期間に渡って残る場合もあり、味覚・嗅覚障害を治療する技術の開発が社会的にも強く期待されている。ナノ粒子を用いた医用生体材料はこれまでにも、低分子薬物などの既往技術では難しかったさまざまな治療技術を可能にしてきた。本研究で開発した技術についても、生体に害のないナノ粒子材料と光照射を用いることによって、患者の体に副作用がない安全な治療が実現できることが期待できる。