Immunohistochemistry of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in spleens of mice treated with gold nanoparticles

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.

Remimazolam benzenesulfonate anesthesia effectiveness in cardiac surgery patients under general anesthesia

BACKGROUND

Sedation with propofol injections is associated with a risk of addiction, but remimazolam benzenesulfonate is a comparable anesthetic with a short elimination half-life and independence from cell P450 enzyme metabolism. Compared to remimazolam, remimazolam benzenesulfonate has a faster effect, is more quickly metabolized, produces inactive metabolites and has weak drug interactions. Thus, remimazolam benzenesulfonate has good effectiveness and safety for diagnostic and operational sedation.

AIM

To investigate the clinical value of remimazolam benzenesulfonate in cardiac surgery patients under general anesthesia.

METHODS

A total of 80 patients who underwent surgery in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery from August 2020 to April 2021 were included in the study. Using a random number table, patients were divided into two anesthesia induction groups of 40 patients each: remimazolam (0.3 mg/kg remimazolam benzenesulfonate) and propofol (1.5 mg/kg propofol). Hemodynamic parameters, inflammatory stress response indices, respiratory function indices, perioperative indices and adverse reactions in the two groups were monitored over time for comparison.

RESULTS

At pre-anesthesia induction, the remimazolam and propofol groups did not differ regarding heart rate, mean arterial pressure, cardiac index or volume per wave index. After endotracheal intubation and when the sternum was cut off, mean arterial pressure and volume per wave index were significantly higher in the remimazolam group than in the propofol group (P < 0.05). After endotracheal intubation, the oxygenation index and the respiratory index did not differ between the groups. After endotracheal intubation and when the sternum was cut off, the oxygenation index values were significantly higher in the remimazolam group than in the propofol group (P < 0.05). Serum interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α levels 12 h after surgery were significantly higher than before surgery in both groups (P < 0.05). The observation indices were re-examined 2 h after surgery, and the epinephrine, cortisol and blood glucose levels were significantly higher in the remimazolam group than in the propofol group (P < 0.05). The recovery and extubation times were significantly lower in the remimazolam group than in the propofol group (P < 0.05); there were significantly fewer adverse reactions in the remimazolam group (10.00%) than in the propofol group (30.00%; P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Compared with propofol, remimazolam benzenesulfonate benefited cardiac surgery patients under general anesthesia by reducing hemodynamic fluctuations. Remimazolam benzenesulfonate influenced the surgical stress response and respiratory function, thereby reducing anesthesia-related adverse reactions.

Biocompatibility and Cytotoxicity of Gold Nanoparticles: Recent Advances in Methodologies and Regulations

Recent advances in the synthesis of metal nanoparticles (MeNPs), and more specifically gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), have led to tremendous expansion of their potential applications in different fields, ranging from healthcare research to microelectronics and food packaging. The properties of functionalised MeNPs can be fine-tuned depending on their final application, and subsequently, these properties can strongly modulate their biological effects. In this review, we will firstly focus on the impact of MeNP characteristics (particularly of gold nanoparticles, AuNPs) such as shape, size, and aggregation on their biological activities. Moreover, we will detail different in vitro and in vivo assays to be performed when cytotoxicity and biocompatibility must be assessed. Due to the complex nature of nanomaterials, conflicting studies have led to different views on their safety, and it is clear that the definition of a standard biosafety label for AuNPs is difficult. In fact, AuNPs' biocompatibility is strongly affected by the nanoparticles' intrinsic characteristics, biological target, and methodology employed to evaluate their toxicity. In the last part of this review, the current legislation and requirements established by regulatory authorities, defining the main guidelines and standards to characterise new nanomaterials, will also be discussed, as this aspect has not been reviewed recently. It is clear that the lack of well-established safety regulations based on reliable, robust, and universal methodologies has hampered the development of MeNP applications in the healthcare field. Henceforth, the international community must make an effort to adopt specific and standard protocols for characterisation of these products.

Saccorhiza polyschides used to synthesize gold and silver nanoparticles with enhanced antiproliferative and immunostimulant activity

Over the last years, there has been an increasing trend towards the use of environmentally friendly processes to synthesize nanomaterials. In the case of nanomedicine, the use of bionanofactories with associated biological properties, such as seaweed, has emerged as a promising field of work due to the possibility they open for both the preservation of those properties in the nanomaterials synthesized and/or the reduction of their toxicity. In the present study, gold (Au@SP) and silver (Ag@SP) nanoparticles were synthesized using an aqueous extract of Saccorhiza polyschides (SP). Several techniques showed that the nanoparticles formed were spherical and stable, with mean diameters of 14 ± 2 nm for Au@SP and 15 ± 3 nm for Ag@SP. The composition of the biomolecules in the extract and the nanoparticles were also analyzed. The analyses performed indicate that the extract acts as a protective medium, with the particles embedded in it preventing aggregation and coalescence. Au@SP and Ag@SP showed superior immunostimulant and antiproliferative activity on immune and tumor cells, respectively, to that of the SP extract. Moreover, the nanoparticles were able to modulate the release of reactive oxygen species depending on the concentration. Hence, both nanoparticles have a significant therapeutic potential for the treatment of cancer or in immunostimulant therapy.