Self-assembled carbohydrate-based vesicles for lectin targeting

Accuracy improvement enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using superparamagnetic/polyethylene glycol) nanoparticles for leishmaniasis diagnostic

Serodiagnosis methods have been used as platforms for diagnostic tests for many diseases. Due to magnetic nanoparticles' properties to quickly detach from an external magnetic field and particle size effects, these nanomaterials' functionalization allows the specific isolation of target analytes, enhancing accuracy parameters and reducing serodiagnosis time. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs) were synthesized and functionalized with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and then associated with the synthetic Leishmaniosis epitope. This nano-peptide antigen showed promising results. Regarding Tegumentary leishmaniasis diagnostic accuracy, the AUC was 0.8398 with sensibility 75% (95CI% 50.50 - 89.82) and specificity 87.50% (95CI% 71.93 - 95.03), and Visceral leishmaniasis accuracy study also present high performance, the AUC was 0.9258 with sensibility 87.50% (95CI% 63.98 - 97.78) and specificity 87.50% (95CI% 71.93 - 95.03). Our results demonstrate that the association of the antigen with MNPs accelerates and improves the diagnosis process. MNPs could be an important tool for enhancing serodiagnosis.

Sertraline associated with gold nanoparticles reduce cellular toxicity and induce sex-specific responses in behavior and neuroinflammation biomarkers in a mouse model of anxiety

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of sertraline associated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in vitro cell viability and in vivo behavior and inflammatory biomarkers in a mouse model of anxiety. Sertraline associated with AuNPs were synthesized and characterized. For the in vitro study, NIH3T3 and HT-22 cells were treated with different doses of sertraline, AuNPs, and sertraline + AuNPs and their viability was evaluated using the MTT assay. For the in vivo study, pregnant Swiss mice were administered a single dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the ninth day of gestation. The female and male offspring were divided into five treatment groups on PND 60 and administered chronic treatment for 28 days. The animals were subjected to behavioral testing and were subsequently euthanized. Their brains were collected and analyzed for inflammatory biomarkers. Sertraline associated with AuNPs exhibited significant changes in surface characteristics and increased diameters. Different doses of sertraline + AuNPs showed higher cell viability in NIH3T3 and HT-22 cells compared with sertraline alone. The offspring of LPS-treated dams exhibited anxiety-like behavior and neuroinflammatory biomarker changes during adulthood, which were ameliorated via sertraline + AuNPs treatment. The treatment response was sex-dependent and brain region-specific. These results suggest that AuNPs, which demonstrate potential to bind to other molecules, low toxicity, and reduced inflammation, can be synergistically used with sertraline to improve drug efficacy and safety by decreasing neuroinflammation and sertraline toxicity.

Dual-Action Heteromultivalent Glycopolymers Stringently Block and Arrest Influenza A Virus Infection In Vitro and Ex Vivo

Here, we demonstrate the concerted inhibition of different influenza A virus (IAV) strains using a low-molecular-weight dual-action linear polymer. The 6'-sialyllactose and zanamivir conjugates of linear polyglycerol are optimized for simultaneous targeting of hemagglutinin and neuraminidase on the IAV surface. Independent of IAV subtypes, hemagglutination inhibition data suggest better adsorption of the heteromultivalent polymer than homomultivalent analogs onto the virus surface. Cryo-TEM images imply heteromultivalent compound-mediated virus aggregation. The optimized polymeric nanomaterial inhibits >99.9% propagation of various IAV strains 24 h postinfection in vitro at low nM concentrations and is up to 10000× more effective than the commercial zanamivir drug. In a human lung ex vivo multicyclic infection setup, the heteromultivalent polymer outperforms the commercial drug zanamivir and homomultivalent analogs or their physical mixtures. This study authenticates the translational potential of the dual-action targeting approach using small polymers for broad and high antiviral efficacy.

Structure and interaction roles in the release profile of chalcone-loaded liposomes

The structures and molecular interactions of established synthetic chalcones were correlated with their release profiles from asolectin liposomes. The effects of chalcones on the properties of liposomes were evaluated by dynamic light scattering (DLS), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS), horizontal attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (HATR-FTIR), ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance (³¹P NMR), zeta (ζ) potential and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The profiles and mechanisms of release were accessed according to the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. Results obtained allowed the establishment of a relationship between the chalcone release profile and 1) the ordering effects of chalcones in different membrane regions, 2) their polar or interfacial location in the lipid layer, 3) the influence of hydroxy and methoxy substituents, 4) their effect on reorientation of lipid choline-phosphate regions. The obtained data may improve the development of chalcone-based systems to be used in the therapy of chronic and acute diseases.

In vitro phototoxicity of zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) loaded in liposomes against human breast cancer cells

In this study, zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) was encapsulated in liposomes (Phosphatidylcholine (PC) from soybean lecithin (95% phosphatidylcholine, 5% lysophosphatidylcholine), and phosphatidic acid) obtained by a reverse-phase evaporation method. Liposomes were characterized and cytotoxicity and phototoxicity assays were performed using mouse embryo fibroblast (NIH3T3) and human breast cancer (MDAMB231), respectively. ZnPc was successfully encapsulated in liposomes ([Formula: see text]80%), presenting single populations with sizes of [Formula: see text]300 nm and negative zeta potential (-35 to -40 mV). The release profile at different pH presented a biphasic release controlled by the Fickian diffusion mechanism. The cytotoxicity assays carried out on NIH3T3 cells showed that the liposomes provided good protection for ZnPc, and did not affect the viability of non-cancerous cells. In contrast, free ZnPc significantly reduced non-cancerous cell viability at higher concentrations. ZnPc loaded in liposomes ensured a higher phototoxic effect on the MDAMB231 cells at all concentrations tested when exposed to low light dose.

Physico-chemical interactions of a new rod-coil-rod polymer with liposomal system: Approaches to applications in tryptophan-related therapies

This work describes the synthesis of the new supramolecular rod-coil-rod polymer, designated as cholesterol-PEO₁₀₀₀-tryptophan (Chl-PEO-Trp), as well as its effects on the physico-chemical properties of phosphatidylcholine (PC)-based liposomes. The molecular interactions between the Chl-PEO-Trp and PC were characterized by HATR-FTIR, DSC, NMR, DLS and zeta (ζ) potential techniques. The Chl-PEO-Trp polymer yield was 75 %. FTIR and DSC data showed that the motion of almost all PC groups was restricted by the polymer, and it promoted a decrease of the trans-gauche isomerization of the PC methylene, restricting the mobility of the hydrophobic region of the liposomes. NMR analyses indicated a Chl-PEO-Trp-induced restriction in the rotation of the PC phosphorus and a discreet increase of the hydrogen mobility of the choline. Despite this increase in the rotation of the choline, DLS and ζ-potential analyses suggested a reorientation of the choline group toward the system surface, which contributed, along with the other physico-chemical effects, to a globally packed membrane arrangement and reduced liposome size. Data described in this work were correlated to possible applications of the Chl-PEO-Trp in its free or PC liposome-loaded forms in the diagnosis and therapy of cancer, SARS caused by coronaviruses, and central nervous system-related diseases.

Co-encapsulation of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DETC) and zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) in liposomes promotes increases phototoxic activity against (MDA-MB 231) human breast cancer cells

There has been considerable interest in the development of novel photosensitisers for photodynamic therapy (PDT). The use of liposomes as drug delivery systems containing simultaneously two or more drugs is an attractive idea to create a new platform for PDT application. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the synergistic effect of diethyldithiocarbamate (DETC) and zinc phthalocyanine (PDT) co-encapsulated in liposomes. The reverse-phase evaporation method resulted in the successful encapsulation of DETC and ZnPc in liposomes, with encapsulation efficiencies above 85 %, mean size of 308 nm, and zeta potential of - 36 mV. The co-encapsulation decreased the cytotoxic effects in mouse embryo fibroblast (NIH3T3) cells and inhibited damage to human erythrocytes compared to free DETC + ZnPc. In addition, both the free drugs and co-encapsulated ones promoted more pronounced phototoxic effects on human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB231) compared to treatment with ZnPc alone. This synergistic effect was determined by DETC-induced decreases in the antioxidant enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH).

Recent Advances in the Chemistry of Glycoconjugate Amphiphiles

Glyconanoparticles essentially result from the (covalent or noncovalent) association of nanometer-scale objects with carbohydrates. Such glyconanoparticles can take many different forms and this mini review will focus only on soft materials (colloids, liposomes, gels etc.) with a special emphasis on glycolipid-derived nanomaterials and the chemistry involved for their synthesis. Also this contribution presents Low Molecular Weight Gels (LMWGs) stabilized by glycoconjugate amphiphiles. Such soft materials are likely to be of interest for different biomedical applications.

Interaction between PEG lipid and DSPE/DSPC phospholipids: An insight of PEGylation degree and kinetics of de-PEGylation

The degree to which liposomes are PEGylated is the feature, which most influences the length of the presence of stealth liposomes in the bloodstream. In order to thoroughly investigate the maximum amount of DSPE-PEG₂₀₀₀ that can be used to stabilize stealth liposomes, these were synthesized at different concentrations of DSPE-PEG₂₀₀₀ and their physicochemical properties were investigated by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The kinetics of PEGylation and de-PEGylation were performed by incubating non-stealth liposomes in a DSPE-PEG₂₀₀₀ suspension at different incubation times, and then analyzing the data using DSC and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques. The results demonstrated that DSPE-PEG₂₀₀₀ was self-assembled in the phospholipid bilayers, thus forming stealth liposomes. The different amounts of DSPE-PEG₂₀₀₀ in the bilayer triggered a de-PEGylation phenomenon, resulting in mixed nanoaggregates, which derived from the detergent-like properties of the PEGylated phospholipids.