Modulation of bacterial membranes and cellular macromolecules by dimethyl sulfoxide: A dose-dependent study providing novel insights

Using Escherichia coli as a model, this manuscript delves into the intricate interactions between dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and membranes, cellular macromolecules, and the effects on various aspects of bacterial physiology. Given DMSO's wide-ranging use as a solvent in microbiology, we investigate the impacts of both non-growth inhibitory (1.0 % and 2.5 % v/v) and slightly growth-inhibitory (5.0 % v/v) concentrations of DMSO. The results demonstrate that DMSO causes alterations in bacterial membrane potential, influences the electrochemical characteristics of the cell surface, and exerts substantial effects on the composition and structure of cellular biomolecules. Genome-wide gene expression data from DMSO-treated E. coli was used to further investigate and bolster the results. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the complex relationship between DMSO and biological systems, with potential implications in drug delivery and cellular manipulation. However, it is essential to exercise caution when utilizing DMSO to enhance the solubility and delivery of bioactive compounds, as even at low concentrations, DMSO exerts non-inert effects on cellular macromolecules and processes.

Exploring the in vitro potential of royal jelly against glioblastoma and neuroblastoma: impact on cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, and the biomolecular content

Neuroblastoma and glioblastoma are the most commonly seen nervous system tumors, and their treatment is challenging. Relatively safe and easy acquisition of nutraceutical natural products make them suitable candidates for anticancer research. Royal jelly (RJ), a superfood, has many biological and pharmacological activities. This study was conducted to, for the first time, elucidate its anticancer efficiency, even in high doses, on neuroblastoma and glioblastoma cell lines through cell viability, apoptosis, cell cycle and biomolecular content evaluation. We performed experiments with RJ concentrations in the range of 1.25-10 mg mL-1 for 48 h. Cell viability assays revealed a notable cytotoxic effect of RJ in a concentration-dependent manner. Treatment with a high dose of RJ significantly increased the apoptotic cell population of both cell lines. Furthermore, we observed G0-G1 phase arrest in neuroblastoma cells but G2-M arrest in glioblastoma cells. All these cellular changes are closely associated with the alterations of the macromolecular makeup of the cells, such as decreased saturated lipid, protein, DNA and RNA amounts, protein conformational changes, decreased protein phosphorylation and increased protein carbonylation. These cellular changes are associated with RJ triggered-ROS formation. The clear segregation between the control and the RJ-treated groups proved these changes, obtained from the unsupervised and supervised chemometric analysis. RJ has good anticancer activity against nervous system cancers and could be safely used with current treatment strategies.

The rejuvenating influence of young plasma on aged intestine

This study aims to investigate the effects of plasma exchange on the biomolecular profiles and histology of ileum and colon tissues in young and aged Sprague-Dawley male rats. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, linear discriminant analysis and support vector machine (SVM) techniques were employed to analyse the lipid, protein, and nucleic acid indices in young and aged rats. Following the application of young plasma, aged rats demonstrated biomolecular profiles similar to those of their younger counterparts. Histopathological and immunohistochemical assessments showed that young plasma had a protective effect on the intestinal tissues of aged rats, increasing cell density and reducing inflammation. Additionally, the expression levels of key inflammatory mediators tumour necrosis factor-alpha and cyclooxygenase-2 significantly decreased after young plasma administration. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of young plasma for mitigating age-related changes and inflammation in the intestinal tract. They highlight the critical role of plasma composition in the ageing process and suggest the need for further research to explore how different regions of the intestines respond to plasma exchange. Such understanding could facilitate the development of innovative therapies targeting the gastrointestinal system, enhancing overall health during ageing.

Recent advances in electrochemical nanomaterial-based aptasensors for the detection of cancer biomarkers

New technologies have provided suitable tools for rapid diagnosis of cancer which can reduce treatment costs and even increase patients' survival rates. Recently, the development of electrochemical aptamer-based nanobiosensors has raised great hopes for early, sensitive, selective, and low-cost cancer diagnosis. Here, we reviewed the flagged recent research (2021-2023) developed as a series of biosensors equipped with nanomaterials and aptamer sequences (nanoaptasensors) to diagnose/prognosis of various types of cancers. Equipping these aptasensors with nanomaterials and using advanced biomolecular technologies have provided specified biosensing interfaces for more optimal and reliable detection of cancer biomarkers. The primary intention of this review was to present and categorize the latest innovations used in the design of these diagnostic tools, including the hottest surface modifications and assembly of sensing bioplatforms considering diagnostic mechanisms. The main classification is based on applying various nanomaterials and sub-classifications considered based on the type of analyte and other vital features. This review may help design subsequent electrochemical aptasensors. Likewise, the up-to-date status, remaining limitations, and possible paths for translating aptasensors to clinical cancer assay tools can be clarified.