CHIRal nanoplasmonics for AMYloid cardiomyopathy theranostics (ERA4HEALTHNANO-246 CHIRAMY)

SUMMARY OF ERA4HEALTHNANO-246 CHIRAMY Transthyretin (TTR) amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) is a multi-organ disease involving multivariant amyloid deposition in the heart, leading to cardiac cytotoxicity and heart failure. Although not frequently diagnosed, ATTR-CM is recognised to affect a significant proportion of the adult population, causing a significant burden on healthcare systems. Current diagnostic methods include electrical activity, ultrasound, and multimodal imaging techniques, all of which lack the sensitivity and selectivity to different TTR variants. Alternative non-invasive methods are required for earlier diagnosis, ideally prior to any clinical symptoms. Treatment options are equally limited, mainly related to supportive management, with newly approved drugs aiming to selectively bind TTR to slow down, but not reverse, disease progression. By using chiroptical nanoparticles (NPs) bound to IgY that targets TTR fibrils, CHIRAMY will address the lack of specific and sensitive diagnostic techniques, and to improve treatment options for those suffering from ATTR-CM. Working at the interface between nanotechnology and advanced cardiac models, we will develop tissue-specific models from human-induced pluripotent stem cells to study the diagnostic and therapeutic activity of chiroptical NPs. Advanced techniques for NP synthesis and characterization provide essential information on the interactions between fibril-targeted IgY-NPs, with particular focus on selectivity toward fibril variants in biological fluids.