Stroke Recovery, Bacterial Syringes and Why does our Hair go Grey?
April 27
This week we investigate a new earpiece that will help stroke victims to regain physical capabilities more easily and more quickly. We examine a new Bacterial Syringe that was made possible by the work of AlphaFold (we have spoken about them a few times, it is Google’s AI that learns how proteins fold). We discover why our hair goes grey and we look at the latest ocean exploration drone.
Stroke Recovery
Swiss company, ETHZurich have developed a smart earpiece that helps people regain physical capabilities more easily and quickly after a stroke. The earpiece is designed to stimulate the brain and rewire neural circuits.
Strokes are the highest cause of significant physical difficulties in adults. It can be very difficult to continue with simple everyday tasks like walking and reaching. This is due to the damage the stroke has done to different regions of the brain. Depending upon where the damage impacts, the physical outcome will vary.
Clinical studies previously conducted have found that stimulation of the vagus nerve plays a critical role in rehabilitating the regions of the brain affected by the stroke. The stimulation increased the speed of recovery of movement capability.
Previously this stimulation was carried out via an operation under general anesthetic where an implant was used to stimulate the nerve. This operation was usually carried out a year after the stroke meaning that patients lost valuable time in recovery.
The new system emits a subtle electrical impulse to activate the nerve in the outer ear. Researchers at the University of Colorado have previously found that stimulating the vagus nerve whilst the patient is attempting a difficult motion is also critical. This stimulation during the motion allows the brain to rewire neural circuits to compensate for damage to other areas of the brain (where that capability had previously been stored). The stimulation promotes neuroplasticity (the ability for the brain to rewire itself and effectively reuse functioning neurons for new purposes).
A new movement sensor has been developed to monitor patient’s movement. It works a bit like a smartwatch. Stroke patients wear the sensor wherever their motor function is impaired. For example if the patient is having trouble with their right leg, the sensor is worn there. The sensor provides feedback on the movement in real time by telling the earpiece when the patient has moved their limb effectively. The earpiece then triggers the stimulation of the vagus nerve and the brain learns to recall the correct sequence of movement.
Previously stroke patients had to attend a clinic with professional staff to undertake stimulation therapy. This new device can be used at home and therapists can remotely monitor their patients efforts via smartphone. The company hopes to commence clinical trials of the new device later this year.
Why does Hair go Grey?
A team from New York University have discovered that some stem cells have a unique ability to move between growth compartments in hair follicles. As people age those stem cells get stuck in one place and so lose their ability to mature and maintain hair color. This causes new hair to grow grey.
Hair color is controlled by whether nonfunctional but continually multiplying pools of MsSCs within hair follicles get the signal to become mature cells that make the protein pigments responsible for the color. The McSCs are remarkably plastic. During normal hair growth the cells move continually back and forth on the maturity axis. This happens as they move between compartments of the developing hair follicle. It is inside the compartments where the McSC is exposed to different levels of maturity influencing protein signals.
The team found that the McSC transforms between states based upon location. As hair ages, sheds and then repeatedly grows back increasing numbers of McSC gets “stuck” in the stem cell compartment called the follicle bulge. By remaining there, they do not mature and do not travel back to the germ compartment where the WNT protein would have prodded them to regenerate into pigment cells. Without the pigment, hair grows out grey.
The team is now planning to investigate ways to restore the motility of McSC so they can once again move to the germ compartment and produce pigment and end grey hair forever.
Bacterial Syringes
We have developed a lot of specialized drugs that target all sorts of infections and problems within the human body however it has always been difficult to target drugs to just where they are needed. We inject drugs into the entire body and they go everywhere which can lead to complications and side effects.
A team at MIT has developed a solution. They have found a new way to deliver tiny proteins into specific cells, using small syringe like structures naturally found on certain bacteria. Endosymbiotic bacteria, or bacteria that depend upon their host cells for survival, have developed tools such as the extracellular contractile injection system (eCIS) to inject proteins into their host cells.
The team reengineered these nano syringes from Photrhabdus asymbotica (a cell lining the gut of a nematode) to target and deliver a wide variety of proteins into human and animal cells. They initially confirmed that the bacteria could deliver nonnative proteins into host cells. Once this was established they had to work out how to target specific cells in the human body.
The team used AlphaFold (from Google) to predict the 3D structure of a protein from its amino acid sequence. This allowed them to understand the tail fiber of the bacteria and how it binds to its’ target receptor. The team then reengineered the tail fibre to specifically recognize a receptor on human lung adenocarcinoma cells. They were then able to load different proteins, which would kill the desired cells. This gave them the delivery system to specifically and effectively microinject proteins into human cells.
The team was also able to inject the Cas9 protein used by CRISPR in gene editing into specifically targeted cells. Finally the team was able to inject proteins safely into a live mouse’s brain without any significant immune response. It is very difficult to deliver payloads to to neurons and brain tissue. The delivery mechanism did not remain in the mouse brain for longer than a week after injection.
The advantage of this delivery system over DNA and RNA based delivery systems which deliver blueprints for proteins to be manufactured by the cells, is that this system delivers the required protein. This gives greater control over dose and half life of therapeutic proteins inside the cells.
The team is already working on commercialization of the tool. There is a long road ahead with preclinical development, clinical testing and rigorous FDA regulated studies. However it is great to see further progress being made so quickly after the creation of AlphaFold.
Exploring the Oceans
There is still so much of the ocean that needs exploration. There are a range of underwater drones that are now undertaking that exploration at an ever increasing rate. Qysea, a Chinese startup, has just released the FIFISH V-EVO which has a camera that is capable of 4k/60fps footage. It has a 166 degree lens and forward facing spotlights that provide 5000 lumens of light and a 5500k color temperature. This allows clear footage from the deepest darkest parts of the ocean.
In addition to the camera systems an AI image enhancement software can filter out plankton and other particles suspended in the water. This gives greater clarity to photography at depths.
The drone is able to move through 360 degrees with ease. This allows the drone to automatically keep a selected subject in shot or to move towards or away from a subject as required. The drone is tethered to the surface to allow real time video footage to be viewed and for remote control. The maximum depth of this drone is 100 meters.
There are a lot of underwater drone development projects that will soon allow us to explore more and more of the ocean.
Paying it Forward
If you have a start-up or know of a start-up that has a product ready for market please let me know. I would be happy to have a look and feature the startup in this newsletter. Also if any startups need introductions please get in touch and I will help where I can.
If you have any questions or comments please comment below.
I would also appreciate it if you could forward this newsletter to anyone that you think might be interested.
Till next week.
Is Apple working yet to add brain stimulation into Apple Earbuds,
to replace large capuccinos in the mornings?