Design of a Methemoglobin Microparticle-Packed Column as a Treatment for Cyanide Poisoning
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Date
2024-05
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Publisher
The Ohio State University
Abstract
Cyanide is a lethal poison with few viable antidotes. The high binding affinity between methemoglobin and cyanide has been exploited in vivo as a standard treatment for cyanide poisoning by turning the patient’s own red blood cell encapsulated hemoglobin into methemoglobin. However, this approach reduces the oxygen carrying capacity of the patient’s blood, potentially leading to serious complications. To address this deficit, a novel cyanide treatment being investigated is administration of liposome-encapsulated methemoglobin into the bloodstream to scavenge cyanide, but this approach may have issues related to in vivo clearance and batch-to-batch variability. In order to address the shortcomings of previous cyanide treatment strategies, this work investigated treating cyanide poisoning ex vivo using a column packed with methemoglobin particles that exploits the ability of methemoglobin to bind cyanide. In this work, methemoglobin microparticles were synthesized via an insoluble metal template reaction, and the process was optimized for cyanide binding. Methemoglobin microparticles were then packed in a gravity column, and the ability of whole blood to pass through the column was investigated. Ultimately, this work established proof-of-concept for a methemoglobin microparticle packed column as an alternative to current standards of care for cyanide poisoning treatment. Further work for this product will include additional scale-up, transitioning to a pump-based column filtration system, and pre-clinical animal model experiments.
Description
3rd place in College of Engineering Undergraduate Research Forum
Keywords
Cyanide Poisoning, Methemoglobin, Filtration, Microparticles