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Cardia R, Dardenne N, Mula G, Pinna E, Rignanese GM, Charlier JC, Cappellini G. First-Principles Investigation of the Optical Properties of Eumelanin Protomolecules. J Phys Chem A 2023; 127:10797-10806. [PMID: 38109190 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.3c04898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Using first-principles calculations, we investigate the absorption spectra (in the near-infrared, visible, and first UV range) of the two most probable eumelanin tetrameric molecules exhibiting either a linear open-chain or a cyclic porphyrine-like configuration. In order to simulate a realistic molecular system, an implicit solvent model is used in our calculations to mimic the effect of the solvated environment around the eumelanin molecule. Although the presence of solvent is found not to significantly affect the absorption pattern of both molecules, the onset of the spectra are shifted toward higher energies, especially for the linear tetramer. Interestingly, the absorption spectra and optical onsets of the two molecules differ significantly both in a vacuum and in ethanol. However, the two predicted spectra do not allow us to definitely discriminate between the two configurations when comparing the theoretical predictions with the available experimental spectrum. In addition, a mix of the two eumelanin configurations (close to fifty-fifty) leads to a maximum overlap between theoretical and experimental spectra. Consequently, this theoretical research shows that deeper insight can be gained using beyond DFT techniques on the real form of eumelanin protomolecules present in living systems as well as on their possible use in hybrid solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Cardia
- Department of Physics, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria I-09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Nicolas Dardenne
- Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanosciences, Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Guido Mula
- Department of Physics, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria I-09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Elisa Pinna
- Department of Physics, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria I-09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Gian-Marco Rignanese
- Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanosciences, Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility (ETSF)
| | - Jean-Christophe Charlier
- Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanosciences, Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility (ETSF)
| | - Giancarlo Cappellini
- Department of Physics, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria I-09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
- European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility (ETSF)
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Pisu AA, Siddi F, Cappellini G, Cardia R. Optical properties of nanostructured antiviral and anticancer drugs. RSC Adv 2023; 13:22481-22492. [PMID: 37534260 PMCID: PMC10392868 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra00061c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We present a computational study on the optical absorption properties of some systems of interest in the field of drug delivery. In particular we considered as drug molecules favipiravir (T705, an antiviral molecule) and 5-fluorouracil (5FU, an anticancer molecule) and, on the other hand, pure fullerenes (C24, B12N12, Ga12N12) and doped fullerenes (C23B, CB11N12) are considered as nanocarriers. Some combined configurations between the drug molecules and the carrier nanostructures have been then studied. The optical absorption properties of the above mentioned drug molecules and their carrier nanostructures in the free and bound states are obtained by a TD-DFT method, in gas phase and in aqueous solution. We perform a detailed analysis of the modifications arising in the absorption spectra that take place in some linked configurations between the drug molecules and the carrier nanostructures. These changes could be of importance as an optical fingerprint of the realized drug/carrier link.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Angela Pisu
- Department of Physics, University of Cagliari S.P. Monserrato-Sestu Km 0,700 Monserrato CA I-09042 Italy
| | - Francesco Siddi
- Department of Physics, University of Cagliari S.P. Monserrato-Sestu Km 0,700 Monserrato CA I-09042 Italy
| | - Giancarlo Cappellini
- Department of Physics, University of Cagliari S.P. Monserrato-Sestu Km 0,700 Monserrato CA I-09042 Italy
- European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility (ETSF) Italy
| | - Roberto Cardia
- Department of Physics, University of Cagliari S.P. Monserrato-Sestu Km 0,700 Monserrato CA I-09042 Italy
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Alkhalifah MA, Sheikh NS, Al-Faiyz YSS, Bayach I, Ludwig R, Ayub K. Rational Design, Stabilities and Nonlinear Optical Properties of Non-Conventional Transition Metalides; New Entry into Nonlinear Optical Materials. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 16:ma16093447. [PMID: 37176328 PMCID: PMC10180138 DOI: 10.3390/ma16093447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Electronic and nonlinear optical properties of endohedral metallofullerenes are presented. The endohedral metallofullerenes contain transition metal encapsulated in inorganic fullerenes X12Y12 (X = B, Al & Y = N, P). The endohedral metallofullerenes (endo-TM@X12Y12) possess quite interesting geometric and electronic properties, which are the function of the nature of the atom and the size of fullerene. NBO charge and frontier molecular orbital analyses reveal that the transition metal encapsulated Al12N12 fullerenes (endo-TM@Al12N12) are true metalides when the transition metals are Ni, Cu and Zn. Endo-Cr@Al12N12 and endo-Co@Al12N12 are at the borderline between metalides and electrides with predominantly electride characteristics. The other members of the series are excess electron systems, which offer interesting electronic and nonlinear optical properties. The diversity of nature possessed by endo-TM@Al12N12 is not prevalent for other fullerenes. Endo-TM@Al12P12 are true metalides when the transition metals are (Cr-Zn). HOMO-LUMO gaps (EH-L) are reduced significantly for these endohedral metallofullerenes, with a maximum percent decrease in EH-L of up to 70%. Many complexes show odd-even oscillating behavior for EH-L and dipole moments. Odd electron species contain large dipole moments and small EH-L, whereas even electron systems have the opposite behavior. Despite the decrease in EH-L, these systems show high kinetic and thermodynamic stabilities. The encapsulation of transition metals is a highly exergonic process. These endo-TM@X12Y12 possess remarkable nonlinear optical response in which the first hyperpolarizability reaches up to 2.79 × 105 au for endo-V@Al12N12. This study helps in the comparative analysis of the potential nonlinear optical responses of electrides, metalides and other excess electron systems. In general, the potential nonlinear optical response of electrides is higher than metalides but lower than those of simple excess electron compounds. The higher non-linear optical response and interesting electronic characteristics of endo-TM@Al12N12 complexes may be promising contenders for potential NLO applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed A Alkhalifah
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nadeem S Sheikh
- Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, Gadong BE1410, Brunei
| | - Yasair S S Al-Faiyz
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
| | - Imene Bayach
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ralf Ludwig
- University of Rostock, Institute of Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Albert-Einstein-Straße 27, 18059 Rostock, Germany
- Department of Science and Technology of Life, Light and Matter, Faculty of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany
- Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse an der Universität Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 29a, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Khurshid Ayub
- Department of Chemistry, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad 22060, KPK, Pakistan
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Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Polydopamine Nanosphere's Structure Based on Experimental Evidence. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14245486. [PMID: 36559853 PMCID: PMC9785874 DOI: 10.3390/polym14245486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In this work, we show how to obtain internal monodispersed gold nanoparticles inside polydopamine (PDA) nanospheres that are also externally decorated with gold. The number of internal nanoparticles is affected by the size of the PDA nanosphere used, and the lower limit in the number of gold nanoparticles in the center of decorated nanospheres, one single gold nanoparticle, has been reached. In addition, extensive molecular dynamics simulations of PDA nanospheres based on four different chemical motifs, in the presence of water and with different sizes, have been performed to gain insight into the arrangements capable of accommodating cavities. In particular, PDA nanospheres based on pyranoacridinotrione (PYR) units provide good agreement with the experimental attainment of internal metal nanoparticles. In these, the stacking of PYR units leads to a particular morphology, with large portions of space occupied by the solvent, that would explain the observed formation of gold nanoparticles inside the PDA nanosphere.
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Altındağ F, Boğokşayan S, Bayram S. Eumelanin protects the liver against diethylnitrosamine-induced liver injury. Toxicology 2022; 480:153311. [PMID: 36113623 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2022.153311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to evaluate in vivo protective effects of eumelanin (EU) on diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver injury. Wistar albino male rats were divided into 6 groups (n = 6), Control, DMSO, DEN, DEN + EU10, DEN + EU15, and DEN + EU20. Animals in the DEN group were injected i.p a single dose of 200 mg/kg DEN, DEN + EU10 group was given 10 mg/kg EU, DEN + EU15 group was given 15 mg/kg, DEN + EU20 group was given 20 mg/kg EU for a week. The results showed that there was no significant difference in vessel volume density between the groups. Inflammatory cell infiltration, hydropic degeneration, and necrotic cells were observed in the DEN group, and these histopathological changes were significantly reduced in all treatment groups. Although there was a low intensity of PAS-positive staining in the DEN groups, moderate staining was observed in the treatment groups. While Caspase-3, PCNA, TNF-α, and IL-6 expressions increased in the DEN group, their expressions decreased in the EU-treated groups. DEN increased AST, ALT, and MDA levels and decreased CAT levels. In particular, the EU10 dose significantly improved these parameters. The present study revealed that eumelanin has protective effects against DEN-induced liver injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fikret Altındağ
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Faculty of Medicine, Van, Turkey.
| | - Seda Boğokşayan
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Faculty of Medicine, Van, Turkey
| | - Sinan Bayram
- Department of Medical Services and Techniques, Vocational School of Health Services, Bayburt University, Bayburt, Turkey
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Pira A, Amatucci A, Melis C, Pezzella A, Manini P, d'Ischia M, Mula G. The interplay of chemical structure, physical properties, and structural design as a tool to modulate the properties of melanins within mesopores. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11436. [PMID: 35794122 PMCID: PMC9258763 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14347-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The design of modern devices that can fulfil the requirements for sustainability and renewable energy applications calls for both new materials and a better understanding of the mixing of existing materials. Among those, surely organic–inorganic hybrids are gaining increasing attention due to the wide possibility to tailor their properties by accurate structural design and materials choice. In this work, we’ll describe the tight interplay between porous Si and two melanic polymers permeating the pores. Melanins are a class of biopolymers, known to cause pigmentation in many living species, that shows very interesting potential applications in a wide variety of fields. Given the complexity of the polymerization process beyond the formation and structure, the full understanding of the melanins' properties remains a challenging task. In this study, the use of a melanin/porous Si hybrid as a tool to characterize the polymer’s properties within mesopores gives new insights into the conduction mechanisms of melanins. We demonstrate the dramatic effect induced on these mechanisms in a confined environment by the presence of a thick interface. In previous studies, we already showed that the interactions at the interface between porous Si and eumelanin play a key role in determining the final properties of composite materials. Here, thanks to a careful monitoring of the photoconductivity properties of porous Si filled with melanins obtained by ammonia-induced solid-state polymerization (AISSP) of 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHI) or 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN), we investigate the effect of wet, dry, and vacuum cycles of storage from the freshly prepared samples to months-old samples. A computational study on the mobility of water molecules within a melanin polymer is also presented to complete the understanding of the experimental data. Our results demonstrate that: (a) the hydration-dependent behavior of melanins is recovered in large pores (≈ 60 nm diameter) while is almost absent in thinner pores (≈ 20 nm diameter); (b) DHN-melanin materials can generate higher photocurrents and proved to be stable for several weeks and more sensitive to the wet/dry variations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Pira
- PoroSiLab, Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, S.P. 8 km 0.700, 09042, Monserrato (Ca), Italy
| | - Alberto Amatucci
- PoroSiLab, Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, S.P. 8 km 0.700, 09042, Monserrato (Ca), Italy
| | - Claudio Melis
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, S.P. 8 km 0.700, 09042, Monserrato (Ca), Italy
| | - Alessandro Pezzella
- Dipartimento di Fisica "Ettore Pancini", Università di Napoli "Federico II", Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo, Via Cintia 21, 80126, Napoli (Na), Italy
| | - Paola Manini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo, Via Cintia 21, 80126, Napoli (Na), Italy
| | - Marco d'Ischia
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo, Via Cintia 21, 80126, Napoli (Na), Italy
| | - Guido Mula
- PoroSiLab, Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, S.P. 8 km 0.700, 09042, Monserrato (Ca), Italy.
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Ab Initio Spectroscopic Investigation of Pharmacologically Relevant Chiral Molecules: The Cases of Avibactam, Cephems, and Idelalisib as Benchmarks for Antibiotics and Anticancer Drugs. Symmetry (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/sym13040601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to accurately measure or predict several physicochemical properties of molecules which play a role as active substances in drugs can be of strategic importance for pharmacological applications, in addition to its possible interest in fundamental research. Chirality is a relevant feature in the characterization of drug molecules: enantiomers can show different pharmacological activity and adverse effects. The ability to separate stereoisomers and to assign their absolute configuration can thus be crucial. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra are a useful tool to distinguish between enantiomers. In this work we apply an in-house developed code, based on an efficient DFT approach for circular dichroism, to fully characterize the molecular optical properties in the case of few selected fundamental molecules for current medical and pharmaceutical research, namely avibactam, as representative of non β-lactam inhibitors, two cephems (cefepime and cefoxitin), as examples of β-lactam antibiotics, and idelalisib, as a recent relevant anticancer active substance to treat major leukemias. For the above molecules, in addition to their optical absorption spectra, we calculate their CD spectra within state-of-the-art computational techniques. We then investigate both the conformational and chemical sensitivity of absorption and CD spectra for the chosen molecules. The outcomes of the present research could be of fundamental importance to gain additional information on molecules involved in therapeutic protocols for severe diseases or in drug design.
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Extensive stacking of DHI-like monomers as a model of out-of-plane complexity in eumelanin protomolecules: Chemical and structural sensitivity of optical absorption spectra. Chem Phys 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphys.2019.04.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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d'Ischia M. Melanin-Based Functional Materials. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19010228. [PMID: 29329224 PMCID: PMC5796177 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19010228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanin biopolymers are currently the focus of growing interest for a broad range of applications at the cutting edge of biomedical research and technology. This Special Issue presents a collection of papers dealing with melanin-type materials, e.g., polydopamine, for classic and innovative applications, offering a stimulating perspective of current trends in the field. Besides basic scientists, the Special Issue is directed to researchers from industries and companies that are willing to invest in melanin research for innovative and inspiring solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco d'Ischia
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Cintia 4, I-80126 Naples, Italy.
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