Selective inactivation of viruses with femtosecond laser pulses and its potential use for in vitro therapy

Shaw Wei D. Tsen, Yu Shan D. Tsen, K. T. Tsen, T. C. Wu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Introduction: Traditional biochemical and pharmaceutical methods employed today encounter problems of clinical side effects and drug resistance, and their use is becoming limited. Therefore, it has become important and necessary to develop new, alternative strategies to combat viral diseases. Materials and Method: Avariety of viruses including M13 bacetriophage (nonenveloped ssDNA), tobacco mosaic virus (nonenveloped ssRNA), human papillomavirus (nonenveloped dsDNA) and human immunodeficiency virus (enveloped ssRNA), together with human red blood cells, Jurkat T-cells and mouse dendritic cells in their buffer solutions have been irradiated with near-infrared subpicosecond laser pulses in vitro. Results: A window of laser power density, approximately between 1 GW/cm2 and 10 GW/cm2, has been observed that allows killing the viral particles while leaving mammalian cells unharmed. Conclusion: The ultrashort pulsed laser technology may have great potential for disinfection of blood components.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)185-196
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Healthcare Engineering
Volume1
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2010
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Femtosecond laser
  • Selective inactivation
  • Viruses

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Surgery
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Health Informatics

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