Context: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) have developed an artificial metal-based nanozyme that can be used to prevent abnormal blood clotting caused by conditions like pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE).
Relevance of Topic: Prelims: Scope of artificial metal-based nanozyme; Applications of Nanotechnology.
Clotting of blood under normal conditions:
- When a blood vessel is injured, specialised blood cells called platelets get activated and cluster together around the vessel to form protective blood clots to stop bleeding. This is the normal blood clotting cascade (haemostasis).
- Haemostasis involves a complex series of protein interactions triggered by exposure to proteins like collagen (from the damaged vessel wall) and enzymes like thrombin (key enzyme in clot formation; activates fibrinogen and stabilises the clot.
Under diseases like PTE or COVID-19:
- In conditions like PTE or diseases like COVID-19, the oxidative stress and levels of toxic Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) increases in the body, leading to over-activation of platelets.
- This triggers the formation of excess clots in the blood vessel contributing to thrombosis (life-threatening causes blockages in blood vessels).
Artificial metal-based Nanozyme:
- To tackle this challenge, researchers have developed a nanomaterial that mimics the activity of natural antioxidant enzymes.
- This artificial nanoenzyme is spherical vanadium pentoxide (V2O5). It scavenges reactive oxidative molecules, controls ROS levels, and thereby prevents the over-activation of platelets.
Thus, artificial metal-based nanozyme will help in reducing ROS levels, preventing over-activation of platelets and controlling abnormal blood clotting.