“The potential benefits associated with this approach are faster reperfusion, lower risk of hemorrhage, and earlier initiation of fibrinolytic therapy, possibly by first responders.”
Sounds lovely, yes? This is the pie-in-the-sky version of tPA, complete with flying cars and hoverbuses. It’s a “Clinical Implications of Basic Research” article from NEJM covering a Science article about shear-activated nanoparticles.
Essentially, in a mouse model of acute arterial thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, researchers bound tPA to aggregated nanoparticles. In normal vasculature, these aggregates remain unaffected. However, in regions of turbulence and shear associated with stenosis, the aggregates break apart, exposing the biochemically active tPA in greater quantities. The authors, taking cue from the current political season, promise potential 100-fold reductions in dosing of tPA associated with this serendipitously targeted approach rather than standard systemic therapy.
So, someday, instead of taking an aspirin and calling 911 – home thrombolytics?
“The Shear Stress of Busting Blood Clots”
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23034026