A Neuroglobin Scavenger To Take On Carbon Monoxide Revealed [STUDY]

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A research project to hunt the antidote for carbon monoxide poisoning has now been unleashed by scientists to trap and remove CO gas from the blood within minutes.

According to Science Mag, a Pittsburgh research team, led by critical care physician Mark Gladwin, was originally studying the function of neuroglobin, a protein typically found in the brain and retina that protects cells from injury by binding oxygen and nitric oxide, when they noticed that isolated neuroglobin molecules almost always had CO bound to them.

Dr. Gladwin said, "I thought this was bad news at that time, because we need to get the CO off the neuroglobin in an extra experimental step."

Carbon Monoxide is a toxic gas, but, being colorless, odorless, tasteless and initially non-irritating, it is very difficult to detect. Exposure to this gas at 100 ppm or greater can be very dangerous to human health. It replaces oxygen out from the red blood cells and thus starves the brain and other tissues causing lightheadedness, confusion, headache, feeling like the world is spinning and flu-like effects.

Abc news reported that the protein which Dr. Mark Gladwin and his team engineered, can selectively target carbon monoxide, rapidly binding to it 500 times so it cannot attach to the hemoglobin in the red blood cells and can be excreted to the kidneys.

This compound saved 87% of mice from the lethal doses of CO given within 5 minutes, Gladwin also explain in the journal of Science Transitional Medicine.

Lindel Weaver, a doctor who treats patients with high-pressure oxygen at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City, said, "This agent is phenomenal, it can rip carbon monoxide right off the hemoglobin." However, Weaver also explains that CO poisoning activates a series of immunological pathways that can cause damages to the nervous and cardiovascular systems.

"The long-term effects of CO are complicated, so by just removing it might not be enough. But this agent can be a life-saving if it is administered immediately", Weaver added.

The research team are now planning to go on further and to explore the efficacy and safety of the neuroglobin in rats, larger animals and in human subjects. The United States Food and Drug Administration has already promised an expedited review of the treatment given that CO poisoning is serious unmet needs.