Potential Role of Carbon Nanomaterials in the Treatment of Malignant Brain Gliomas

Ameliorating Effects of Graphene Oxide on Cadmium Accumulation and Eco-Physiological Characteristics in a Greening Hyperaccumulator (Lonicera japonica Thunb.)

Graphene oxide (GO), as a novel carbon-based nanomaterial (CBN), has been widely applied to every respect of social life due to its unique composite properties. The widespread use of GO inevitably promotes its interaction with heavy metal cadmium (Cd), and influences its functional behavior. However, little information is available on the effects of GO on greening hyperaccumulators under co-occurring Cd. In this study, we chose a typical greening hyperaccumulator (Lonicera japonica Thunb.) to show the effect of GO on Cd accumulation, growth, net photosynthesis rate (Pn), carbon sequestration and oxygen release functions of the plant under Cd stress. The different GO-Cd treatments were set up by (0, 10, 50 and 100 mg L-1) GO and (0, 5 and 25 mg L-1) Cd in solution culture. The maximum rate of Cd accumulation in the roots and shoots of the plant were increased by 10 mg L-1 GO (exposed to 5 mg L-1 Cd), indicating that low-concentration GO (10 mg L-1) combined with low-concentration Cd (5 mg L-1) might stimulate the absorption of Cd by L. japonica. Under GO treatments without Cd, the dry weight of root and shoot biomass, Pn value, carbon sequestration per unit leaf area and oxygen release per unit leaf area all increased in various degrees, especially under 10 mg L-1 GO, were 20.67%, 12.04%, 35% and 28.73% higher than the control. Under GO-Cd treatments, it is observed that the cooperation of low-concentration GO (10 mg L-1) and low-concentration Cd (5 mg L-1) could significantly stimulate Cd accumulation, growth, photosynthesis, carbon sequestration and oxygen release functions of the plant. These results indicated that suitable concentrations of GO could significantly alleviate the effects of Cd on L. japonica, which is helpful for expanding the phytoremediation application of greening hyperaccumulators faced with coexistence with environment of nanomaterials and heavy metals.

Advancements in the Application of Nanomedicine in Alzheimer's Disease: A Therapeutic Perspective

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects most people worldwide. AD is a complex central nervous system disorder. Several drugs have been designed to cure AD, but with low success rates. Because the blood-brain and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barriers are two barriers that protect the central nervous system, their presence has severely restricted the efficacy of many treatments that have been studied for AD diagnosis and/or therapy. The use of nanoparticles for the diagnosis and treatment of AD is the focus of an established and rapidly developing field of nanomedicine. Recent developments in nanomedicine have made it possible to effectively transport drugs to the brain. However, numerous obstacles remain to the successful use of nanomedicines in clinical settings for AD treatment. Furthermore, given the rapid advancement in nanomedicine therapeutics, better outcomes for patients with AD can be anticipated. This article provides an overview of recent developments in nanomedicine using different types of nanoparticles for the management and treatment of AD.

Novel Tetrazole Derivatives Targeting Tubulin Endowed with Antiproliferative Activity against Glioblastoma Cells

Increasing awareness of the structure of microtubules has made tubulin a relevant target for the research of novel chemotherapies. Furthermore, the particularly high sensitivity of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells to microtubule disruption could open new doors in the search for new anti-GBM treatments. However, the difficulties in developing potent anti-tubulin drugs endowed with improved pharmacokinetic properties necessitates the expansion of medicinal chemistry campaigns. The application of an ensemble pharmacophore screening methodology helped to optimize this process, leading to the development of a new tetrazole-based tubulin inhibitor. Considering this scaffold, we have synthesized a new family of tetrazole derivatives that achieved remarkable antimitotic effects against a broad panel of cancer cells, especially against GBM cells, showing high selectivity in comparison with non-tumor cells. The compounds also exerted high aqueous solubility and were demonstrated to not be substrates of efflux pumps, thus overcoming the main limitations that are usually associated with tubulin binding agents. Tubulin polymerization assays, immunofluorescence experiments, and flow cytometry studies demonstrated that the compounds target tubulin and arrest cells at the G2/M phase followed by induction of apoptosis. The docking experiments agreed with the proposed interactions at the colchicine site and explained the structure-activity relationships.