Mohali, Chandigarh scientists uncover gold nanoparticles potential in early detection of Parkinson’s

Miniscule particles of the precious yellow metal may hold the key to a nanotechnology-based tool for early detection of Parkinson’s Disease (PD), research by scientists in Chandigarh and Mohali has revealed.

A tool that can detect the disease before symptoms appear means earlier treatment, improved quality of life and lower long-term healthcare costs. Parkinson’s disease is one of the fastest-growing neurological disorders globally.

The research also opens the door to detecting other diseases like Alzheimer’s, using similar nano-technology, according to information shared by the Ministry of Science and Technology on Tuesday.

With an aging population and rising life expectancy, the number affected by the disease in India is projected to increase substantially, placing immense pressure on healthcare systems. Yet, most diagnoses occur only after significant neuro-degeneration has already taken place.

The researchers focused their attention on a protein called α-synuclein linked to PD. This protein changes shape, starting out harmless and eventually clumping into toxic forms that damage brain cells. The team started working towards a sensor to identify these protein forms just by how they have charged.

The project was led by Dr Sharmistha Sinha, Senior Scientist at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, assisted by Harpreet Kaur and Ishani Sharma. They also collaborated with Dr Deepak Sharma and Arpit Tyagi at the Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh, who contributed their expertise in protein biochemistry and cell-based assays.

Their solution came in the form of gold nano-clusters, ultra-small glowing particles just a few nanometers wide. By coating these nano-clusters with naturally occurring amino acids, the researchers gave them selective “stickiness.”

Proline-coated clusters were drawn to the normal version of the protein, while those coated with histidine latched onto the toxic aggregates. This helped distinguish between the harmless form and the toxic aggregated form.

The research involved a broad spectrum of experiments. The team began by engineering and purifying two forms, normal and mutant, of the α-synuclein protein. They then synthesized the amino acid–capped gold nano-clusters and characterised them by using high-end techniques such as UV spectroscopy, fluorescence imaging, electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to understand their optical and structural properties.

The interactions between nano-clusters and proteins were meticulously studied to measure how accurately the nano-clusters could detect different forms of the protein. Finally, the system was tested in human-derived cells to ensure it worked safely and effectively in biological conditions.