Towards Molecular Surgery
(From EurekAlert). Scientists are working on ways to break down harmful age-related intracellular aggregates - in this case the amyloid associated with Alzheimer's - using nanoparticles and low-intensity radiation: "Using test tube studies, the scientists attached gold nanoparticles to a group of beta amyloid fibrils, incubated the resulting mixture for several days and then exposed it to weak microwave fields for several hours. ... The fibrils subsequently dissolved and remained dissolved for at least one week after being irradiated, indicating that the treatment was not only effective at breaking up the fibrils but also resulted in a lower tendency of the proteins to re-aggregate, according to the researchers. The same approach also holds promise for treating other neurodegenerative diseases that involve protein aggregation, including Parkinson's and Huntington's."
Link: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-01/acs-gnr010406.php