Melanin nanoshells for protection against radiation and electronic pulses
View Patent ↗This invention provides melanin nanoshells and their use for protection against radiation, particularly ionizing radiation, and electronic pulses, and methods of making materials comprising melanin nanoshells.
1. A method for protecting bone marrow of a subject from radiation during radiation therapy comprising systemically administering to the subject prior to radiation therapy a radioprotective amount of nanoparticles comprising melanin to protect the bone marrow of the subject from radiation during radiation therapy, wherein the nanoparticles are administered in a manner effective to be taken up by the bone marrow and wherein the radiation is delivered at a rate of at least 3 Gy per minute.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles comprise polymerized L-dopa, epinephrine, methyldopa and/or a phenol that polymerizes into melanin.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles comprise melanin isolated or derived from a biological source or generated by chemical synthetic process.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the biological source is a plant, an animal, or a melanin-containing fungus, bacterium or cell.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the fungus is Cryptococcus neoformans and/or Histoplasma capsulatum.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the melanin consists of pheomelanin.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles comprise pheomelanin and eumelanin and wherein the ratio of pheomelanin to eumelanin is at least 1:1.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the melanin contains divalent sulphur.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles comprise a nanosphere, a nanotube, a nanoellipsoid, a nanoball and/or a nanorod.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles have a thickness of about 10 nm to about 1,000 nm.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising protecting the subject's liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs, or gastrointestinal tract from radiation.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radiation therapy is radioimmunotherapy.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radiation therapy is external beam radiation therapy.
14. The method of claim 1 , which further comprises administering to the subject a co-polymer of the poloxamer series.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the co-polymer of the poloxamer series is pluronic acid.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the co-polymer of the poloxamer series is administered to the subject prior to administering the nanoparticles.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles comprising melanin are silica nanoparticles covered with a layer comprising melanin.
18. The method of claim 1 , and wherein the radiation is delivered at a rate of at least 14 Gy per minute.