Flow cytometry: Interesting tool for studying binding behavior of DNA on inorganic layered double hydroxide (LDH)

High-Throughput Preparation of New Photoactive Nanocomposites

New low-cost photoactive hybrid materials based on organic luminescent molecules inserted into hydrotalcite (layered double hydroxides; LDH) were produced, which exploit the high-throughput liquid-assisted grinding (LAG) method. These materials are conceived for applications in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) as a co-absorbers and in silicon photovoltaic (PV) panels to improve their efficiency as they are able to emit where PV modules show the maximum efficiency. A molecule that shows a large Stokes' shift was designed, synthesized, and intercalated into LDH. Two dyes already used in DSSCs were also intercalated to produce two new nanocomposites. LDH intercalation allows the stability of organic dyes to be improved and their direct use in polymer melt blending. The prepared nanocomposites absorb sunlight from UV to visible and emit from blue to near-IR and thus can be exploited for light-energy management. Finally one nanocomposite was dispersed by melt blending into a poly(methyl methacrylate)-block-poly(n-butyl acrylate) copolymer to obtain a photoactive film.

Rationalization of liquid assisted grinding intercalation yields of organic molecules into layered double hydroxides by multivariate analysis

PCA, coupled to molecular descriptors, proved to be an effective tool to rationalize the mechanochemical intercalation yields of layered materials.

Development of drug delivery systems based on layered hydroxides for nanomedicine

Layered hydroxides (LHs) have recently fascinated researchers due to their wide application in various fields. These inorganic nanoparticles, with excellent features as nanocarriers in drug delivery systems, have the potential to play an important role in healthcare. Owing to their outstanding ion-exchange capacity, many organic pharmaceutical drugs have been intercalated into the interlayer galleries of LHs and, consequently, novel nanodrugs or smart drugs may revolutionize in the treatment of diseases. Layered hydroxides, as green nanoreservoirs with sustained drug release and cell targeting properties hold great promise of improving health and prolonging life.

DNA-enhanced peroxidase-like activity of layered double hydroxide nanosheets and applications in H2O2 and glucose sensing

LDH nanosheets were obtained via continuous impaction and exfoliation by herring sperm DNA molecules using a constant vibration method. DNA-LDH nanohybrids were composed by electrostatic forces and they exhibited DNA-enhanced peroxidase-like activity. The morphology and structure of DNA-LDH nanohybrids were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected-area electron diffraction (SAED), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) characterization. On the basis of the high catalytic activity of DNA/CuAl-LDH nanosheets, a rapid, sensitive, and convenient approach was developed for colorimetric detection of H2O2 and blood glucose. This method can be potentially applied in medical diagnostics and biotechnology fields.

Aptamers: versatile probes for flow cytometry

Aptamers are nucleic acid oligomers with distinct conformational shapes that allow them to bind targets with high affinity and specificity. Aptamers are selected from a random oligonucleotide library by their capability to bind a certain molecular target. A variety of targets ranging from small molecules like amino acids to complex targets and whole cells have been used to select aptamers. These characteristics and the ability to create specific aptamers against virtually any cell type in a process termed "systematic evolution by exponential enrichment" make them interesting tools for flow cytometry. In this contribution, we review the application of aptamers as probes for flow cytometry, especially cell-phenotyping and detection of various cancer cell lines and virus-infected cells and pathogens. We also discuss the potential of aptamers combined with nanoparticles such as quantum dots for the generation of new multivalent detector molecules with enhanced affinity and sensitivity. With regard to recent advancements in aptamer selection and the decreasing costs for oligonucleotide synthesis, aptamers may rise as potent competitors for antibodies as molecular probes in flow cytometry.

Preparation and controlled-release studies of a protocatechuic acid-magnesium/aluminum-layered double hydroxide nanocomposite

In the study reported here, magnesium/aluminum (Mg/Al)-layered double hydroxide (LDH) was intercalated with an anticancer drug, protocatechuic acid, using ion-exchange and direct coprecipitation methods, with the resultant products labeled according to the method used to produce them: "PANE" (ie, protocatechuic acid-Mg/Al nanocomposite synthesized using the ion-exchange method) and "PAND" (ie, protocatechuic acid-Mg/Al nanocomposite synthesized using the direct method), respectively. Powder X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the intercalation of protocatechuic acid into the inter-galleries of Mg/Al-LDH. The protocatechuic acid between the interlayers of PANE and PAND was found to be a monolayer, with an angle from the z-axis of 8° for PANE and 15° for PAND. Thermogravimetric and differential thermogravimetric analysis results revealed that the thermal stability of protocatechuic acid was markedly enhanced upon intercalation. The loading of protocatechuic acid in PANE and PAND was estimated to be about 24.5% and 27.5% (w/w), respectively. The in vitro release study of protocatechuic acid from PANE and PAND in phosphate-buffered saline at pH 7.4, 5.3, and 4.8 revealed that the nanocomposites had a sustained release property. After 72 hours incubation of PANE and PAND with MCF-7 human breast cancer and HeLa human cervical cancer cell lines, it was found that the nanocomposites had suppressed the growth of these cancer cells, with a half maximal inhibitory concentration of 35.6 μg/mL for PANE and 36.0 μg/mL for PAND for MCF-7 cells, and 19.8 μg/mL for PANE and 30.3 μg/mL for PAND for HeLa cells. No half maximal inhibitory concentration for either nanocomposite was found for 3T3 cells.

Layered double hydroxide nanoparticles as target-specific delivery carriers: uptake mechanism and toxicity

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs), also known as anionic nanoclays or hydrotalcite-like compounds, have attracted a great deal of interest for their potential as delivery carriers. In this article, we describe the cellular uptake behaviors and uptake pathway of LDHs in vitro and in vivo, which can not only explain the mechanism by which high efficacy of biomolecules delivered through LDH nanocarriers could be obtained, but also provide novel strategies to enhance their delivery efficiency. Toxicological effects of LDHs in cell lines and in animal models are also present, aiming at providing critical information about their toxicity potential, which should be carefully considered for their biomedical application. Understanding the uptake behaviors, uptake mechanism and toxicity of LDHs in terms of dose-response relationship, diverse physicochemical properties and interaction with different biological systems is important to optimize delivery efficiency as well as biocompatibility.

Biological Evaluation of a Novel Tissue Engineering Scaffold of Layered Double Hydroxides (LDHs)

Bone Tissue Engineering (BTE) composed of three main parts: scaffold, cells and signaling factors. Several materials and composites are suggested as a scaffold for BTE. Biocompatibility is one of the most important property of a BTE scaffold. In this work synthesis of a novel nanocomposite including layered double hydroxides (LDH) and gelatin is carried out and its biological properties were studied. The co-precipitation (pH=11) method was used to prepare the LDH powder, using calcium nitrate, Magesium nitrate and aluminum nitrate salts as starting materials. The resulted precipitates were dried. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses were used to characterize the synthesized powders. The results demonstrated the presence of nanocrystals of Ca-LDH and Mg-LDH as Hexagonal and Layered Morphology. The obtained powders were composed to gelatin via solvent casting method then freez dried. The scaffold was prepared via membrane lamination method from the resulted layers that linked together with gelatin as binder. In order to investigate the scaffold cytotoxicity MTT assay was done with a osteosarcoma cell line. No toxic response was observed in specimens. As a major result, it was demonstrated that the specimen showed a significant cellular response. Then osteosarcoma cells were cultured for 7-day and 14-day extract of powders. The composites osteoconductivity was investigate with cells alkaline phosphatase extraction. The results demonstrated that the Ca-LDH/gelatin composite scaffold has a good potential for bone tissue engineering applications and Mg-LDH specimen has a better osteconductivity.

Adsorption and separation of proteins by a synthetic hydrotalcite

In this study, the potential use of a synthetic Mg/Al hydrotalcite (layered double hydroxide) as a novel chromatography material for protein purification was investigated. The hydrotalcite is present in its carbonate form and is characterized by an Al/Mg-ratio of 1.85. Zetapotential measurements confirm a positive surface potential up to pH 10 suggesting applicability as anion exchanger. The binding of model proteins covering a broad range of isoelectric points and molecular weights was performed at different pH-values under batch conditions to evaluate the binding behaviour of the hydrotalcite. Furthermore, static binding capacities were exemplarily determined for hemoglobin and human serum albumin. Additionally, the adsorption and elution of hemoglobin was studied under dynamic conditions. The binding behaviour of the hydrotalcite was compared to commercially available anion exchangers and was found to be a function of pH, depending on the model protein. Variant adsorption behaviour is explained by further interactions like hydrogen bonds and by an unequal charge distribution over the protein surfaces. The hydrotalcite reveals high adsorption capacities under static (260 mg/g) as well as under dynamic conditions (88 mg/g at 34 cm/h; 61 mg/g at 340 cm/h). With appropriate buffers like 500 mM carbonate (pH 10) the adsorbed proteins can be nearly completely desorbed making regeneration possible. Due to the binding and elution properties it is concluded, that the hydrotalcite can serve anion exchange material for chromatographic protein separations.