Plasmonic Pore Formation for Ocular Biomolecule Delivery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current treatments for ocular diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma, often involve destroying eye cells, which is not optimal due to the postmitotic nature of the retina, and existing methods for delivering exogenous biomolecules into the eye are challenging.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the injection of exogenous biomolecules and plasmonic particles into the eye, followed by irradiation with a laser beam offset from the plasmonic resonance wavelength, causing the particles to form pores in cell membranes and allow the biomolecules to enter target cells.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If laser pulses are used to destroy extracellular macular deposits, then the deposits are removed, but biological damage occurs and recovery time is extended

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveextracellular macular deposits removalVSAvoidbiological damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Plasmonic particles are introduced as intermediary agents that absorb laser energy and convert it to localized thermal effects, enabling precise destruction of extracellular deposits while sparing surrounding living cells. The particles act as mediators between the laser beam and the target deposits, allowing selective removal without direct laser damage to ocular tissues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The treatment achieves local quality by concentrating thermal energy exclusively at the location of extracellular deposits through plasmonic particle accumulation. The laser irradiation selectively heats only the regions where plasmonic particles are present, creating localized thermal effects that destroy deposits while leaving surrounding healthy tissues unaffected.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If exogenous biomolecules are delivered into target cells, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but the delivery process is challenging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment effectivenessVSAvoiddelivery process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Plasmonic particles are pre-positioned within or adjacent to target cells before laser irradiation. This preliminary action enables subsequent efficient delivery of exogenous biomolecules, as the pre-positioned particles create localized thermal effects that facilitate membrane permeabilization or endosomal escape, thereby simplifying the overall delivery process while maintaining high reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If cells are destroyed to treat ocular diseases, then disease progression is halted, but the postmitotic nature of the retina limits recovery

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisease treatmentVSAvoidrecovery time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention converts the harmful effect of unrestricted laser irradiation into a beneficial localized thermal effect by using plasmonic particles as energy converters. The particles absorb laser energy and transform it into localized heat precisely where needed, enabling effective disease treatment while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy retinal cells, thus allowing for faster recovery despite the retina's postmitotic nature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach minimizes biological damage and provides effective recovery times by selectively delivering biomolecules into target cells, potentially treating ocular diseases with reduced side effects.

Implementation Method 1

the plasmonic structures having a plasmonic resonance wavelength... the laser beam having a wavelength being offset to a plasmonic resonance wavelength of the plurality of plasmonic structures

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlasmonic resonance: Resonance

Implementation Method 2

irradiating, with a laser beam, a region of the eye... said irradiating causing the plasmonic structures to form pores

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser heating: Heating

Data Source

PatentUS11058575B2Method and system for delivering exogenous biomolecules into the eye and method for forming pores into target cells of an eye

Publication Date: 2021.07.13 ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE

AI summary

There is described a method for delivering exogenous biomolecules into an eye. The method generally has the steps of injecting, into a region of the eye, a mixture having a plurality of exogenous biomolecules and a plurality of plasmonic structures, the plasmonic structures having a plasmonic resonance wavelength, the plasmonic structures adjoining membranes of target cells in said region due to said injecting; and irradiating said region of said eye with a laser beam having a wavelength being offset to said plasmonic resonance wavelength, said irradiating causing the plasmonic structures to form pores in said membranes of said target cells, allowing at least some of the exogenous biomolecules to be delivered into the target cells via said pores.