Silicage ('sil-i-'kāj)n. A nanostructure made of silica that may provide a safer carrier for gene therapy. Viruses are nature’s Trojan horses—they replicate by smuggling their genes into a host’s cells, turning them into mini virus factories. So in the late ’80s, researchers got the clever idea of sucking out the viral innards and inserting good genes to fight diseases. Then, in a 1999 clinical trial, a teenager died from a horrific immune response to one of those so-called viral vectors. Today, immune risk still limits approval of gene therapies. Enter the silicage. Using AI to interpret images from cryo-­electron microscopy, scientists at Cornell recently discovered this cagelike orb, which forms naturally in solutions of soap and silica. Turns out, the shape is similar to some viruses, and researchers think silicages could also be used to deliver genes. Coat them with the kind of binding peptides that viruses use and target cells would slurp up the payload. Other synthetic vectors (e.g., carbon buckyballs) are emerging, but there are plenty of possible uses, like transporting drugs through the body. Different jobs will likely require different carriers. Expect silicages to be an essential part of the future fleet. About Jargon Watch Debut: Jun 1995 | Status: Ongoing | Appearances in print: 291 Early words that stuck: data mining, FAQ, alpha geek, sock puppetSome that didn’t: clickola, handy, taskbar lint, thumb cultureRecent highlights: dark sunshine, Textalyzer, space graffiti This article appears in the October issue. Subscribe now. WIRED@25: More Retro WIRED Join us for a four-day celebration of our anniversary in San Francisco, October 12–15. From a robot petting zoo to provocative onstage conversations, you won't want to miss it. More information at www.Wired.com/25.
Researchers believe they may have found a solution to the risks posed by gene therapies, after developing a technique using silicage nanostructures to deliver genes to patients without exposing them to other threats. Scientists at Cornell University found that, by using AI to analyse images from cryo-­electron microscopy, silicages are perfectly shaped to transport new genes to patients. By coating the silicages with the same binding peptides used by viruses, the substance, which forms naturally in products like soap and compounds such as silica, can be used to deliver the genes to target cells safely.