Biotechnology, the brain and the future

Anti-cancer studies of noble metal nanoparticles synthesized using different plant extracts

Biofunctionalized gold and silver nanoparticles synthesized using different plant extracts of guava and clove in vitro anti-cancer efficacy against four different cancer cell lines human colorectal adenocarcinoma, human kidney, human chronic myelogenous, leukemia, bone marrow, and human cervix have been studied and reported. The present experimental study suggests that flavonoids functionalized gold nanoparticles synthesized using aqueous clove buds extract are more potential than guava leaf extract towards anti-cancer activities. The microscopic and 2,3-bis (2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-5-[(phenylamino)carbonyl]-2H-tetrazolium hydroxide (XTT) assay infer that the functionalized irregular shaped gold nanoparticles synthesized with aqueous clove bud extract showed a satisfactory anti-cancer effect on all the cell lines. The silver nanoparticles synthesized using same extracts are devoid of anti-cancer activity. The XTT assay revealed dose-dependent cytotoxicity to cancer cell lines. The study revealed that the free radicals generated by gold nanoparticles are responsible for anti-cancer effect. To confirm the free-radical scavenging efficacy of gold nanoparticle, nitric oxide assay is followed. We observed that the gold nanoparticles swabbed the free radicals in dose-dependent manner. With continued improvements, these nanoparticles may prove to be potential anti-cancer agents.

Strategies for enhanced drug delivery to the central nervous system

Treating central nervous system diseases is very challenging because of the presence of a variety of formidable obstacles that impede drug delivery. Physiological barriers like the blood-brain barrier and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier as well as various efflux transporter proteins make the entry of drugs into the central nervous system very difficult. The present review provides a brief account of the blood brain barrier, the P-glycoprotein efflux and various strategies for enhancing drug delivery to the central nervous system.

Toward the Emergence of Nanoneurosurgery: Part III—Nanomedicine: Targeted Nanotherapy, Nanosurgery, and Progress Toward the Realization of Nanoneurosurgery

The notion of nanotechnology has evolved since its inception as a fantastic conceptual idea to its current position as a mainstream research initiative with broad applications among all divisions of science. In the first part of this series, we reviewed the structures and principles that comprise the main body of knowledge of nanoscience and nanotechnology. In the second part, we discussed applications of nanotechnology to the emerging field of nanomedicine, with specific attention on medical diagnostics and imaging. This article further explores the applications of nanotechnology to nanomedicine. Specific attention is given to developments in therapeutic modalities, including advanced drug delivery systems and targeted nanotherapy, which will form the basis for the treatment arm of mature nanomedicine. A variety of modalities are discussed, including polymeric nanoparticles, micelles, liposomes, dendrimers, fullerenes, hydrogels, nanoshells, and smart surfaces. Applications of nanotechnology to nanosurgery and nanoneurosurgery are presented. Femtosecond laser systems, nanoneedles, and nanotweezers are presented as technologies that are operational at the nanoscale level and have the potential to revolutionize the practice of neurosurgery in a profound and momentous way.

Proteomics-driven progress in neurodegeneration research

Proteomics technologies have been widely used in the investigation of neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders, and in particular in the detection of differences between healthy individuals and patients suffering from such diseases. Thus, brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with Alzheimer's disease, Down syndrome, Pick's disease, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and other disorders as well as brain and CSF from animals serving as models of neurological disorders have been analyzed by proteomics. 2-DE followed by MALDI-TOF-MS has been mainly applied as this proteomics approach provides the possibility of convenient quantification of protein levels and detection of post-translational modifications. About 330 unique proteins with deranged levels and modifications have been detected by proteomics approaches to be related to neurodegeneration and psychiatric disorders. They are mainly involved in metabolism pathways, cytoskeleton formation, signal transduction, guidance, detoxification, transport, and conformational changes. In this article, we provide a summary of the major contributions of proteomics technologies in the study of neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases, in particular, in the detection of changes in protein levels and modifications related to these disorders.