scholarly journals Immobilized anticancer agents and metal nanoparticles in a matrix of gellan: achievements and prospects

Author(s):  
Zhanar Nurakhmetova ◽  
Gulnur Tatykhanova ◽  
Sarkyt Kudaibergenov

A review is devoted to recent achievements in development of anticancer drugs based on natural polysaccharide – gellan that possesses coil-helix conformational transition, sol-gel phase transition, thermo- and salt sensitivity. The characteristics of high- and low-acyl gellan are briefly given and the influence of mono- and multivalent metal ions on the gelation efficiency is described. The mucoadhesive properties of gellan and its modified derivatives are briefly considered in the context of application in pharmacy as oral, buccal, nasal, ophthalmologic, vaginal forms. The main attention is paid to anticancer drugs, gold and silver nanoparticles immobilized within gellan matrix by chemical bonds, physical adsorption and chemosorption. The state-of-the art and perspectives of development of plasmonic photothermal therapy of cancer cells that is one of the promising direction of nanomedicine in diagnosis and treatment of oncological diseases are highlighted. It is outlined that the further strategy of development and application of plasmonic photothermal therapy into clinical practice is due to selection of metal nanoparticles with optimal sizes, high concentration, low cytotoxicity and suitable optical characteristics.

Author(s):  
Agnieszka Wróbel ◽  
Danuta Drozdowska

Background: Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) has been known for decades as a molecular target for antibacterial, antifungal and anti-malarial treatments. This enzyme is becoming increasingly important in the design of new anticancer drugs, which is confirmed by numerous studies including modelling, synthesis and in vitro biological research. This review aims to present and discuss some remarkable recent advances on the research of new DHFR inhibitors with potential anticancer activity. Methods: The scientific literature of the last decade on the different types of DHFR inhibitors has been searched. The studies on design, synthesis and investigation structure-activity relationship were summarized and divided into several subsections depending on the leading molecule and its structural modification. Various methods of synthesis, potential anticancer activity and possible practical applications as DHFR inhibitors of new chemical compounds were described and discussed. <p> Results: This review presents the current state of knowledge on the modification of known DHFR inhibitors and the structures and searching for over eighty new molecules, designed as potential anticancer drugs. In addition, DHFR inhibitors acting on thymidylate synthase (TS), carbon anhydrase (CA) and even DNA-binding are presented in this paper. <p> Conclusion: Thorough physicochemical characterization and biological investigations it is possible to understand structure-activity relationship of DHFR inhibitors. This will enable even better design and synthesis of active compounds, which would have the expected mechanism of action and the desired activity.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 2231
Author(s):  
Alexandru Enesca ◽  
Luminita Isac

A dual S-scheme Cu2S_TiO2_WO3 heterostructure was constructed by sol–gel method using a two-step procedure. Due to the synthesis parameters and annealing treatment the heterostructure is characterized by sulfur deficit and oxygen excess allowing the passivation of oxygen vacancies. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated under UV and UV–Vis irradiation scenarios using S-MCh as reference pollutant. The heterostructure is composed on orthorhombic Cu2S, anatase TiO2 and monoclinic WO3 with crystallite sizes varying from 65.2 Å for Cu2S to 97.1 Å for WO3. The heterostructure exhibit a dense morphology with pellets and particle-like morphology closely combined in a relatively compact assembly. The surface elemental composition indicate that the heterostructure maintain a similar atomic ratio as established during the synthesis with a slight sulfur deficit due to the annealing treatments. The results indicate that the three-component heterostructure have higher photocatalytic efficiency (61%) comparing with two-component heterostructure or bare components. Moreover, Cu2S_TiO2_WO3 exhibit a superior constant rate (0.114 s−1) due to the high concentration of photogenerated charge carriers, efficient charge separation and migration.


Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1738
Author(s):  
Saeid Vafaei ◽  
Alexander Wolosz ◽  
Catlin Ethridge ◽  
Udo Schnupf ◽  
Nagisa Hattori ◽  
...  

SnO2 nanoparticles are regarded as attractive, functional materials because of their versatile applications. SnO2 nanoaggregates with single-nanometer-scale lumpy surfaces provide opportunities to enhance hetero-material interfacial areas, leading to the performance improvement of materials and devices. For the first time, we demonstrate that SnO2 nanoaggregates with oxygen vacancies can be produced by a simple, low-temperature sol-gel approach combined with freeze-drying. We characterize the initiation of the low-temperature crystal growth of the obtained SnO2 nanoaggregates using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The results indicate that Sn (II) hydroxide precursors are converted into submicrometer-scale nanoaggregates consisting of uniform SnO2 spherical nanocrystals (2~5 nm in size). As the sol-gel reaction time increases, further crystallization is observed through the neighboring particles in a confined part of the aggregates, while the specific surface areas of the SnO2 samples increase concomitantly. In addition, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements suggest that Sn (II) ions exist in the SnO2 samples when the reactions are stopped after a short time or when a relatively high concentration of Sn (II) is involved in the corresponding sol-gel reactions. Understanding this low-temperature growth of 3D SnO2 will provide new avenues for developing and producing high-performance, photofunctional nanomaterials via a cost-effective and scalable method.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Bidaud ◽  
D. Berling ◽  
D. Jamon ◽  
E. Gamet ◽  
S. Neveu ◽  
...  

AbstractThis paper is aimed at investigating the process of photocrosslinking under Deep-UV irradiation of nanocomposite thin films doped with cobalt ferrite magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). This material is composed of a hybrid sol–gel matrix in which MNP can be introduced with high concentrations up to 20 vol%. Deep-UV (193 nm) is not only interesting for high-resolution patterning but we also show an efficient photopolymerization pathway even in the presence of high concentration of MNPs. In this study, we demonstrate that the photocrosslinking is based on the free radical polymerization of the methacrylate functions of the hybrid precursor. This process is initiated by Titanium-oxo clusters. The impact of the nanoparticles on the photopolymerization kinetic and photopatterning is investigated. We finally show that the photosensitive nanocomposite is suitable to obtain micropatterns with sub-micron resolution, with a simple and versatile process, which opens many opportunities for fabrication of miniaturized magneto-optical devices for photonic applications.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reza Maleki ◽  
Mohammad Dahri ◽  
Hossein Akbarialiabad

Abstract BackgroundTodays, drug nanocarrier development and improving its biophysical properties is one of the updated and intended of nano-biopharmaceutical science researches. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), as a typical carbon structure based nanocarrier, but have some obstacles in drug delivery mechanisms. In that current study, the penetration, loading, and release of Doxorubicin and Paclitaxel, as two anticancer agents, were investigated using a novel modified and functionalized SWCNT.ResultsThis study was carried out using molecular dynamics simulation based on a dual-responsive smart biomaterial. At the in-silico study, Interaction energies between drugs and carriers, numbers of hydrogen bonds, diffusion coefficient, and gyration radius were investigated. The kinetic analysis of drug adsorption and release revealed that, fascinatingly, drug loading and drug release are selective at physiological and cancerous acidic pH, respectively. Interaction of Dimethyl acryl amid-trimethyl chitosan, as a biodegradable and biocompatible hydrogel, with SWCNT indicated that degradation reaction in acidic condition destructs the polymer, which leads to a smart release in cancerous tissue at specific pH. Moreover, it resolves hydrophilicity, optimum nanoparticle size, cell membrane penetration, and cell toxicity concerns.ConclusionsThe simulation results indicated a marvelous role of dimethyl acryl amide-trimethyl chitosan in the adsorption and release of anticancer drugs in normal and neoplastic tissue. The interaction of trimethyl chitosan also improves biocompatibility as well as biodegradability of the carrier. Overall, that novel drug carrier can be a virtuous nanoparticle for loading, transporting, and releasing the anticancer drugs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  

Metal nanoparticles possess an extensive scientific and technological significance due to their unique physiochemical properties and their potential applications in different fields like medicine. Silver and gold nanoparticles have shown to have antibacterial and cytotoxic activities. Conventional methods used in the synthesis of the metal nanoparticles involve use of toxic chemicals making them unsuitable for use in medical field. In our continued effort to explore for simple and eco-friendly methods to synthesize the metal nanoparticles, we here describe synthesis and characterization of gold and silver nanoparticles using Gonaderma lucidum, wild non-edible medicinal mushroom. G. lucidum mushroom contain bioactive compounds which can be involved in the reduction, capping and stabilization of the nanoparticles. Antibacterial activity analysis was done on E. coli and S. aureus. The synthesis was done on ultrasonic bath. Characterization of the metal nanoparticles was done by UV-VIS., High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM) and FTIR. HRTEM analysis showed that both silver and gold nanoparticles were spherical in shape with an average size of 15.82±3.69 nm for silver and 24.73±5.124nm for gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). FTIR analysis showed OH and -C=C- stretching vibrations, an indication of presence of functional groups of biomolecules capping both gold and silver nanoparticles. AgNPs showed inhibition zones of 15.5±0.09mm and 13.3±0.14mm while AuNPs had inhibition zones of 14.510±0.35 and 13.3±0.50mm on E. coli and S. aureus respectively. The findings indicate the potential use of AgNPs and AuNPs in development of drugs in management of pathogenic bacteria.


2018 ◽  
Vol 475 (2) ◽  
pp. 373-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justine L. Delgado ◽  
Chao-Ming Hsieh ◽  
Nei-Li Chan ◽  
Hiroshi Hiasa

Many cancer type-specific anticancer agents have been developed and significant advances have been made toward precision medicine in cancer treatment. However, traditional or nonspecific anticancer drugs are still important for the treatment of many cancer patients whose cancers either do not respond to or have developed resistance to cancer-specific anticancer agents. DNA topoisomerases, especially type IIA topoisomerases, are proved therapeutic targets of anticancer and antibacterial drugs. Clinically successful topoisomerase-targeting anticancer drugs act through topoisomerase poisoning, which leads to replication fork arrest and double-strand break formation. Unfortunately, this unique mode of action is associated with the development of secondary cancers and cardiotoxicity. Structures of topoisomerase–drug–DNA ternary complexes have revealed the exact binding sites and mechanisms of topoisomerase poisons. Recent advances in the field have suggested a possibility of designing isoform-specific human topoisomerase II poisons, which may be developed as safer anticancer drugs. It may also be possible to design catalytic inhibitors of topoisomerases by targeting certain inactive conformations of these enzymes. Furthermore, identification of various new bacterial topoisomerase inhibitors and regulatory proteins may inspire the discovery of novel human topoisomerase inhibitors. Thus, topoisomerases remain as important therapeutic targets of anticancer agents.


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