Potential personalized treatment to target inflammation?

This article talks about a new potential form of personalized therapy to target inflammation by mimicking the body’s natural mechanism of fighting inflammation. Microparticles are very small particles released by cells during inflammation. However, researchers at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry and Harvard Medical School have discovered certain microparticles that contain anti-inflammatory lipids that are beneficial to our health. These microparticles are precursors for compounds that stimulate the termination of inflammation and return the body to its normal balance.

Researchers are mimicking this natural communication process to produce new personalized delivery system for anti-inflammatory therapeutics based on natural human microparticles. Since these microparticles do not rely on synthetic biomaterials, they reduce potential toxicity. In this study, researchers used human neutrophil-derived MPs to construct novel nanoparticles containing anti-inflammatories asprin-triggered resolvin D1 and lipoxin A4 analog, and found dramatically reduced polymorphonuclear cell influx, enhanced wound healing, and protection against inflammation. These humanized nanoparticles termed nano-proresolving medicines may offer a new therapeutic approach that could have implications in a number of inflammatory diseases including cardiovascular diseases, arthritis and temporomandibular disorders.

L. V. Norling, M. Spite, R. Yang, R. J. Flower, M. Perretti, C. N. Serhan. Cutting Edge: Humanized Nano-Proresolving Medicines Mimic Inflammation-Resolution and Enhance Wound Healing. The Journal of Immunology, 2011

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110404111048.htm