Cytotoxicity of thermo-responsive polymeric nanoparticles based on N-isopropylacrylamide for potential application as a bioscaffold

Polymeric nanoparticles based on poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (pNiPAM NPs) and their bio-medical applications have been widely investigated in recent years. These tunable nanoparticles are considered to be great candidates for drug delivery systems, biosensors and bioanalytical devices. Thus, the biocompatibility and toxicity of these nanoparticles is clearly a crucial issue. In this work, the cytotoxicity of thermo-responsive pNiPAM nanoparticles was studied, followed by a detailed analysis of the NPs morphology in growing cell cultures and their 3D structure. Cytotoxic examination was conducted for two cell cultures - HeLa (cervical cancer cell line) and HeK293 (human embryonic kidney cell line), employing MTT (3-4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay and viability tests. We used Cryo-SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and fluorescence microscopy (IN Cell Analyzer) in order to investigate the morphological structure of the polymer network. We show that pNiPAM nanoparticles do not exhibit any cytotoxicity effects on the investigated cell lines. Additionally, we report that the pNiPAM nanoparticle based scaffold promotes cell growth.

Intrinsically disordered and pliable Starmaker-like protein from medaka (Oryzias latipes) controls the formation of calcium carbonate crystals

Fish otoliths, biominerals composed of calcium carbonate with a small amount of organic matrix, are involved in the functioning of the inner ear. Starmaker (Stm) from zebrafish (Danio rerio) was the first protein found to be capable of controlling the formation of otoliths. Recently, a gene was identified encoding the Starmaker-like (Stm-l) protein from medaka (Oryzias latipes), a putative homologue of Stm and human dentine sialophosphoprotein. Although there is no sequence similarity between Stm-l and Stm, Stm-l was suggested to be involved in the biomineralization of otoliths, as had been observed for Stm even before. The molecular properties and functioning of Stm-l as a putative regulatory protein in otolith formation have not been characterized yet. A comprehensive biochemical and biophysical analysis of recombinant Stm-l, along with in silico examinations, indicated that Stm-l exhibits properties of a coil-like intrinsically disordered protein. Stm-l possesses an elongated and pliable structure that is able to adopt a more ordered and rigid conformation under the influence of different factors. An in vitro assay of the biomineralization activity of Stm-l indicated that Stm-l affected the size, shape and number of calcium carbonate crystals. The functional significance of intrinsically disordered properties of Stm-l and the possible role of this protein in controlling the formation of calcium carbonate crystals is discussed.

[The yeast-like fungi infections in medical intensive care patients in years 1996 - 2000]

The aim of this study was to analyse, taking into consideration the infection risk factors, the incidence of fungal infections occurrence in Medical Intensive Care Units. Yeast-like fungi strains isolated from various clinical materials underwent mycological examination. Mycological diagnosis was performed in compliance with compulsory laboratory methods. The detailed observation concerned patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit by urgent reasons or because of basic disease aggravation, trauma, surgical operations and those with diabetes mellitus. The main etiological fungal infections factor were C. albicans strains. The increased incidence of C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis participation in yeast-like fungi infection pathogenesis was observed. The results presented in this study confirm, that intensive care units patients, for the reason of fungal infections, make the increased risk group.