LED lights combined with mobile app, diabetes treatment breakthrough

Translational (Science) Medicine, a famous international academic journal, recently published the latest research results of East China Normal University researcher Ye Haifeng. The study for the first time through the intelligent remote control of the treatment of diabetes, is expected to provide new ideas and new strategies for future clinical diagnosis and treatment of diabetes mellitus.

The left: This study author Ye Haifeng researcher; right: This study first author Shao Jiawei

In recent years, with the continuous improvement of mobile communication technology, the rapid development of smart phones, mobile health has become an integral part of the application has been used in blood glucose monitoring. However, the current diagnosis and detection of diabetes patients, can not achieve treatment. Therefore, the team Ye Haifeng, East China Normal University School of life sciences skillfully combining synthetic biology and electronic engineering, developed a new intelligent diagnosis system in diagnosis and treatment of diabetes as a whole.

A new intelligent diagnosis system in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes as a whole

The system has two main features: first, the researchers through the mobile phone ECNU-TeleMed app remote control to control the brightness of far red gene expression; second, diabetic mouse white blood glucose level signal can be transformed into translation far red light brightness to the regulation of gene expression.

The schematic design of semi automated control treatment of diabetes achieved by intelligent mobile phone cell engineering of the far red light response

First of all, the concept of synthetic biology researchers used far red light control of gene expression were designed and synthesized the customized cell, the cell transformation in far red light irradiation, can produce any desired gene or drug protein, such as green fluorescent protein or insulin etc..

The far red light regulation of gene expression control system design of the dynamic characteristics of graph and its regulation of gene expression

The far red cell customized spatiotemporal control expression of green fluorescent protein. Can be achieved with far red light on the monolayer cells in vitro culture. The cells above put the words ECNU hollow black paper, the far red cells activate the expression of green fluorescent protein

When the researchers showed far red control insulin customized cells transplanted into diabetic mice subcutaneously, diabetic mice given direct irradiation with far red light, can start the subcutaneous insulin producing cells, and play a good hypoglycemic effect. Using this treatment, diabetic rats only need to light 2-4 hours a day, you can maintain normal blood glucose levels and up to half a month.

The researchers used a multidisciplinary design method to further design and develop an integrated intelligent control system for the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes. Using the blood glucose meter to measure the blood sugar of the mouse, it can be transferred to the special Controller (intelligent Smart controller) and the smart phone by Bluetooth wireless. When blood glucose levels are higher than the safe glucose threshold set in advance, the intelligent controller can light the LED complex containing hydrogel transplantation in mice, the customized cell (Hydroge LED), thereby triggering customized insulin producing cells or GLP-1, to lower blood sugar and maintain blood sugar stability. In addition, when the mobile phone shows abnormal, it can also be forced to control the intelligent controller, optimized treatment.

Mark, a molecular biologist at University of Wyoming, wrote a commentary on the study for Gomelsky. He said that compared to the disc into the human skin, wearing LED bracelet can also achieve the same effect, and more simple. However, the transformation of cells still need to be injected into the body alone, the current transformation of the cells need to be injected a long time is still unclear.

Professor Gomelsky believes that after all the best method, East China Normal University technology may not be the treatment of type first diabetes, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last year has just approved the first automatic insulin syringe. But he believes that the technology can be used to remotely control the cells to produce genetically modified drugs for the treatment of other diseases.

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