Chaperone Like Attributes of Biogenic Fluorescent Gold Nanoparticles: Potential to Alleviate Toxicity Induced by Intermediate State Fibrils Against Neuroblastoma Cells

Multifunctional Nanocarriers for Alzheimer's Disease: Befriending the Barriers

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) have been increasing in incidence in recent years and are now widespread worldwide. Neuronal death is defined as the progressive loss of neuronal structure or function which is closely associated with NDDs and represents the intrinsic features of such disorders. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases (AD, PD, and HD, respectively) are considered neurodegenerative diseases that affect a large number of people worldwide. Despite the testing of various drugs, there is currently no available therapy that can remedy or effectively slow the progression of these diseases. Nanomedicine has the potential to revolutionize drug delivery for the management of NDDs. The use of nanoparticles (NPs) has recently been developed to improve drug delivery efficiency and is currently subjected to extensive studies. Nanoengineered particles, known as nanodrugs, can cross the blood-brain barrier while also being less invasive compared to the most treatment strategies in use. Polymeric, magnetic, carbonic, and inorganic NPs are examples of NPs that have been developed to improve drug delivery efficiency. Primary research studies using NPs to cure AD are promising, but thorough research is needed to introduce these approaches to clinical use. In the present review, we discussed the role of metal-based NPs, polymeric nanogels, nanocarrier systems such as liposomes, solid lipid NPs, polymeric NPs, exosomes, quantum dots, dendrimers, polymersomes, carbon nanotubes, and nanofibers and surfactant-based systems for the therapy of neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, we highlighted nanoformulations such as N-butyl cyanoacrylate, poly(butyl cyanoacrylate), D-penicillamine, citrate-coated peptide, magnetic iron oxide, chitosan (CS), lipoprotein, ceria, silica, metallic nanoparticles, cholinesterase inhibitors, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, metal chelators, anti-amyloid, protein, and peptide-loaded NPs for the treatment of AD.

The potential of esculin in ameliorating Type-2 diabetes mellitus induced neuropathy in Wistar rats and probing its inhibitory mechanism of insulin aggregation

Diabetic neuropathy encompasses multiple pathological disturbances, many of which coincide with the pathophysiological mechanisms of neurodegenerative disorders. In the present study, various biophysical techniques like Rayleigh light scattering assay, Thioflavin T assay, far-UV Circular Dichroism spectroscopy, Transmission electron microscopy have unveiled the anti-fibrillatory effect of esculin upon human insulin fibrillation. MTT cytotoxicity assay demonstrated the biocompatibility of esculin and in-vivo studies such as behavioral tests like hot plate test, tail immersion test, acetone drop test, plantar test were performed for validating diabetic neuropathy. Assessment of levels of serum biochemical parameters, oxidative stress parameters, pro-inflammatory cytokines as well as neuron specific markers was done in the current study. Rat brains were subjected to histopathology and their sciatic nerves were subjected to transmission electron microscopy to analyze myelin structure alterations. All these results reveal that esculin ameliorates diabetic neuropathy in experimental diabetic rats. Conclusively, our study demonstrates the anti-amyloidogenic potential of esculin in the form of inhibition of human insulin fibrillation, making it a promising candidate in combating neurodegenerative disorders in the near future and the results of various behavioral, biochemical, and molecular studies reveal that esculin possesses anti-lipidemic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and neuroprotective properties which help in ameliorating diabetic neuropathy in streptozotocin induced diabetic Wistar rats.

Association of peptidyl prolyl cis/trans isomerase Rrd1 with C terminal domain of RNA polymerase II

The largest subunit of RNAPII extends as the conserved unstructured heptapeptide consensus repeats Y₁S₂P₃T₄S₅P₆S₇ and their posttranslational modification, especially the phosphorylation state at Ser2, Ser5 and Ser7 of CTD recruits different transcription factors involved in transcription. In the current study, fluorescence anisotropy, pull down assay and molecular dynamics simulation studies employed to conclude that peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans-isomerase Rrd1 has strong affinity for unphosphorylated CTD rather than phosphorylated CTD for mRNA transcription. Rrd1 preferentially interacts with unphosphorylated GST-CTD in comparison to hyperphosphorylated GST-CTD in vitro. Fluorescence anisotropy revealed that recombinant Rrd1 prefers to bind unphosphorylated CTD peptide in comparison to phosphorylated CTD peptide. In computational studies, the RMSD of Rrd1-unphosphorylated CTD complex was greater than the RMSD of Rrd1-pCTD complex. During 50 ns MD simulation run Rrd1-pCTD complex get dissociated twice viz. 20 ns to 30 ns and 40 ns to 50 ns, while Rrd1-unpCTD complex remain stable throughout the process. Additionally, the Rrd1-unphosphorylated CTD complexes acquire comparatively higher number of H-bonds, water bridges and hydrophobic interactions occupancy than Rrd1-pCTD complex, concludes that the Rrd1 interacts more strongly with the unphosphorylated CTD than the pCTD.

Olax scandens Mediated Biogenic Synthesis of Ag-Cu Nanocomposites: Potential Against Inhibition of Drug-Resistant Microbes

In the present study, we have synthesized silver-copper nanocomposites (Ag-Cu NCs) using an Olax scandens leaf extract (green synthesis method) and evaluated their antimicrobial potential against less susceptible pathogens. The kinetics of Ag-Cu NCs synthesis was followed by UV-VIS and fluorescence spectroscopy. The physicochemical characterization of as-synthesized Ag-Cu NCs was executed using electron microscopy, Energy Dispersive X-Ray, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, and a Differential Light Scattering method. As-synthesized Ag-Cu NCs induced the formation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), thereby causing alteration and decrementation of cellular proteins, DNA, lipids, etc., and eventually leading to cell death, as determined by a Live/Dead assay. Next, we assessed the anti-biofilm potential of as-synthesized Ag-Cu NCs against biofilm forming bacteria. The as-synthesized Ag-Cu NCs, when compared to monometallic silver nanoparticles, exhibited significantly higher anti-microbial activity against both sensitive as well as drug resistant microbial isolates.