Chain-Like Structures of Biogenic and Nonbiogenic Magnetic Nanoparticles in Vascular Tissues

Modulation of calcium signaling and metabolic pathways in endothelial cells with magnetic fields

Calcium signaling plays a crucial role in various physiological processes, including muscle contraction, cell division, and neurotransmitter release. Dysregulation of calcium levels and signaling has been linked to a range of pathological conditions such as neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Here, we propose a theoretical model that predicts the modulation of calcium ion channel activity and calcium signaling in the endothelium through the application of either a time-varying or static gradient magnetic field (MF). This modulation is achieved by exerting magnetic forces or torques on either biogenic or non-biogenic magnetic nanoparticles that are bound to endothelial cell membranes. Since calcium signaling in endothelial cells induces neuromodulation and influences blood flow control, treatment with a magnetic field shows promise for regulating neurovascular coupling and treating vascular dysfunctions associated with aging and neurodegenerative disorders. Furthermore, magnetic treatment can enable control over the decoding of Ca signals, ultimately impacting protein synthesis. The ability to modulate calcium wave frequencies using MFs and the MF-controlled decoding of Ca signaling present promising avenues for treating diseases characterized by calcium dysregulation.

Interaction of magnetic fields with biogenic magnetic nanoparticles on cell membranes: Physiological consequences for organisms in health and disease

The interaction mechanisms between magnetic fields (MFs) and living systems, which remained hidden for more than a hundred years, continue to attract the attention of researchers from various disciplines: physics, biology, medicine, and life sciences. Revealing these mechanisms at the cellular level would allow to understand complex cell systems and could help to explain and predict cell responses to MFs, intervene in organisms' reactions to MFs of different strengths, directions, and spatial distributions. We suggest several new physical mechanisms of the MF impacts on endothelial and cancer cells by the MF interaction with chains of biogenic and non-biogenic magnetic nanoparticles on cell membranes. The revealed mechanisms can play a hitherto unexpected role in creating physiological responses of organisms to externally applied MFs. We have also a set of theoretical models that can predict how cells will individually and collectively respond to a MF exposure. The physiological sequences of the MF - cell interactions for organisms in health and disease are discussed. The described effects and their underlying mechanisms are general and should take place in a large family of biological effects of MFs. The results are of great importance for further developing novel approaches in cell biology, cell therapy and medicine.

Bioinformatics Analysis of Protein Homologues of Magnetotactic Bacteria Magnetosome Island Proteins in Human Proteome

Background. The number of biogenic magnetic nanoparticles (BMN), present in human organs and tissues in the form of magnetite (ferrimagnetic iron oxide), increases in oncological and neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, the study of homologues of BMN biomineralization proteins (mam-proteins) of magnetotaxis bacteria (MTB) in human proteome is relevant task. This concern is due primarily to the expediency of establishing patterns of changes in the expression of these proteins and searching for correlations with oncological and neurodegenerative diseases. Objective. We are aimed to conduct the bioinformatic analysis of homologues of MTB mam-proteins in humans and to determine the patterns of changes in the expression of these proteins, as well as to search for their connections with the specified diseases. This will allow to identify the main candidate proteins (among the known homologues of MTB mam-proteins in humans) for experimental verification of their participation in the genetically programmed mechanism of BMN biosynthesis in humans. Methods. The methods of comparative genomics were used, in particular the BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) program of the NCBI database. Database tools were also used: NCBI Conserved Domain Search, The Cancer Genome Atlas database, Ensembl database. Results. The bioinformatic analysis of 16 homologues of MTB mam-proteins in humans was carried out, namely: PEX5, ANAPC7, CDC23, CDC27 and SGTA – homologues of MamA in MTB; SLC30A4, SLC30A9, SLC39A3 and SLC39A4 – homologs of MamB and MamM in MTB; HTRA1, HTRA2, HTRA3 and HTRA4 – MamO and MamE homologues in MTB; SCRIB, PDZK1 and PDZD3 – MamE homologues in MTB. Using pairwise alignments, the degree of homology between the mam-proteins of the MTB magnetosome island and the corresponding human proteins was determined, conserved domains and their functions were determined, changes in their expression levels in cancer and normal conditions were determined by analyzing the relevant databases, and the metabolic pathways to which the data proteins are involved were analysed. The analysis of the obtained data allowed to assume the presence of the main homologues of the MTB mam-proteins of the magnetosome island in humans, which cause an increase in the level of BMN in oncological and neurodegenerative diseases, namely: an increase in the expression level of the proteins PEX5, ANAPC7 (homologs of MamA), SLC39A3, SLC39A4 (homologs of MamB and MamM), HTRA4 (MamO and MamE homolog) and SCRIB (MamE homolog). Conclusions. The obtained data allow us to assume that the proteins PEX5, ANAPC7, SGTA, SLC39A3, SLC39A4, HTRA4 and SCRIB are the main homologues of the MTB mam-proteins in humans and cause an increase in the level of BMN in oncological and neurodegenerative diseases.

Bioinformatic Analysis of the Genetic Mechanism of Biomineralization of Biogenic Magnetic Nanoparticles in Bacteria Capable of Tumor-Specific Accumulation

Background. Current methods of targeted cancer therapy are not always effective enough and can lead to side effects, such as an increased risk of autoimmune diseases. It is known that some bacteria are capable of specific accumulation in malignant tumors, and therefore can be used as an alternative means of targeted drug delivery. However, the genetic mechanism of tumor-specific accumulation of bacteria is not fully understood and needs to be studied in more detail. Objective. This work aims to identify, by methods of comparative genomics methods, magnetically controlled bacteria among those for which tumor-specific accumulation has already been experimentally shown. Methods. To identify magnetically controlled bacterial strains, i.e., bacteria that biomineralize biogenic magnetic nanoparticles (BMN), the method of comparative genomics was used, namely: pairwise alignment of proteomes with amino acid sequences of Mam-proteins of required for biomineralization of BMN in magneto­tactic bacteria Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense MSR-1. Sequence alignments were performed in the BLAST program of the US National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Results. The conducted bioinformatic analysis showed that strains of bacteria in which the ability to accumulate specifically in tumors has been experimentally proven are potential producers of BMN of different types. Among them there are potential producers of intracellular crystalline BMN, potential producers of intracellular amorphous BMN, and extracellular crystalline BMN Conclusions. It is expedient to use bacteria-producing BMN as gene vectors and systems of targeted drug delivery to tumors that biomineralize BMN.