讓醫護人員與公共衛生專家傷透腦筋的超級細菌,現在又多了一個致命對手:「忍者聚合物」。這種人類未來希望的細菌殺手,可以不分是否超級細菌全部通殺,用的不是抗生素而是接近人體免疫細胞的原理,因此細菌不會產生抗藥性,它也是第一款具有生物相容性、無毒又可自行生物降解的聚合物,應用層面十分廣泛。
IBM 雖然是間半導體製造與企業服務為主的公司,但他們的科研項目並不僅限於此,往往會基於自己在半導體相關技術的優勢,在其他領域有所成就,像生技領域就是其中很顯眼的一環。過往曾經介紹過 IBM 研發利用類塑膠分子可以殺死人體內常見的真菌類感染,也就是黴菌,但卻不會有一般藥物可能產生的副作用。現在,他們同樣利用更細微的矽晶圓蝕刻技術,創造出帶有正電荷的大分子聚合物,它可以溶於水,當加熱到人體溫的程度時,就會成為一種凝膠,在運用上就很方便。
將這種「忍者聚合物」(Ninja Polymers) 凝膠放置在細菌附近時,透過簡單的正負電相吸原理,聚合物會把外層帶負電的細菌全都吸過來。IBM 聚合物化學家 Jim Hedrick 表示,忍者聚合物會用比較接近一般免疫細胞的做法,把細菌的細胞壁與細胞膜撕裂,如此一來,細菌就會因為「漏湯」而死。而這種聚合物經過一段時間後就會自行生物降解,分解成更小的物質,對人體無害。
超級細菌之所以能對抗抗生素,是因為能夠透過不斷演化改變自身表面的結構,讓一些過去可以讓抗生素分子與之結合以發揮效用的管道消失。忍者聚合物不是用這個原理運作,因此超級細菌在眼中跟一般細菌無異,也不會產生抗藥性問題。
由於可以輕易地溶於水中,忍者聚合物可以做成藥膏或用注射的方式用在受傷的部位、植入物或導管的塗料,或可用在預防感染等用途。Hedrick 表示 IBM 已經與合作夥伴洽談,將這種奈米技術應用在日常生活中,不僅是醫療用途,還可以用在環境清潔、除臭、洗衣服、洗盤子。這樣的日子不會太遠,他預估 10 年內就可以商品化。
(圖片來源:IBM)
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