Chemists Designing `Molecular Baskets` to Help Capture Deadly Nerve Agents

Delivered innocuously on the tip of an umbrella or a doorknob, nerve agents are the epitome of quiet, but deadly. By cutting off the muscular control to breathe, the end result of these agents of chemical warfare is asphyxiation in a matter of a painful minutes.

Dealing with these unpleasant compounds Chemistry – A European Journal lays out another potential method of defense against these types of weapons. Scientists at The Ohio State University recently explored the possibility of using the phrase 'molecular sneakers' to capture nerve agents or other harmful air-borne agents.

How Do These 'Molecular Sneakers' Work?

Jovica Badjic, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at The Ohio State University, created the designer molecules in the shape of sneakers. Each molecule has an amino acid on the rim which helps specify what the basket will target. When the team shines ultraviolet light on these molecules, the compounds lose carbon dioxide molecules, which forces the basketball to come together and aggregate, picking up nerve agents along the way to form a collective mass.

In previous research, these light-activated molecules form an easily removable solid. Although promising in a tank of water, creating a solid inside the body is not a great idea. In Badjic's most recent study, molecular baskets with glutamic acid, bunched together as nanoparticles instead of a solid. Because these are tiny particles (50-100 nm in diameter) and stayed in solution, they could theoretically just pass through a human body and exit without issue.

Nanoparticles have a long history of cancer research – especially to fight cancer – for a long time. In this case, instead of delivering substances into the body, Badjic's new molecular basketball capitalizes on taking a substance out. Once refined, the nanoparticles could be consumed before becoming integrated into the current treatment cocktail.

When it comes to nerve agents, speed is an important part of the equation, as they can act in a matter of minutes or span.

"I do believe the [molecular] recognition process is pretty fast. "says Badjic. "If nanoparticles are in the body already, you have the concentration of nerve agents in solution, and you slow down the process."

The molecular baskets in application would race against the nerve agent's goal to bond to the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Nerve agents bond to AChE to block the production of a neurotransmitter that allows the body to communicate with its organs. By collecting the nerve agents and whisking them away before this connection happens, molecular straps could prevent or reduce the incidence of this attack on the body, such as diazepam and midazolam (anticonvulsants), to finish the battle.

Badjic's molecules can also be used when the body is not under a toxic countdown. Nerve agents and pesticides actually share a similar molecular structure – similar enough that molecular sneakers could pick them up as well.

"There's about 200,000 deaths per year because of pesticides." Says Badjic. "While this is also a serious problem, pesticides play a long-term game, as they are linked to diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

What Comes Next?

"I would really like to see how [molecular baskets] operate in biological systems, "Badjic says. The team already confirmed that the nanoparticles work in urine; blood is the next environment to test.

In the future, Badjic imagines hollow nanoparticles could deliver the nerve-agent cocktail and collect the remnants to carry out the body.