Pioneering a paradigm shift in tissue engineering and regeneration with polysaccharides and proteins-based scaffolds: A comprehensive review

In the realm of modern medicine, tissue engineering and regeneration stands as a beacon of hope, offering the promise of restoring form and function to damaged or diseased organs and tissues. Central to this revolutionary field are biological macromolecules-nature's own blueprints for regeneration. The growing interest in bio-derived macromolecules and their composites is driven by their environmentally friendly qualities, renewable nature, minimal carbon footprint, and widespread availability in our ecosystem. Capitalizing on these unique attributes, specific composites can be tailored and enhanced for potential utilization in the realm of tissue engineering (TE). This review predominantly concentrates on the present research trends involving TE scaffolds constructed from polysaccharides, proteins and glycosaminoglycans. It provides an overview of the prerequisites, production methods, and TE applications associated with a range of biological macromolecules. Furthermore, it tackles the challenges and opportunities arising from the adoption of these biomaterials in the field of TE. This review also presents a novel perspective on the development of functional biomaterials with broad applicability across various biomedical applications.

Augmented least squares, a powerful chemometric approach for the spectroscopic analysis of the antiretroviral therapy abacavir, lamivudine and dolutegravir in their ternary mixture

Augmented least squares models such as concentration residual augmented classical least squares (CRACLS) and spectral residual augmented classical least squares (SRACLS) are powerful chemometric approaches that can be applied for spectroscopic analysis of many pharmaceutical compounds. Herein, both CRACLS and SRACL have been employed for UV spectral analysis of three antiretroviral therapy namely abacavir (ACV), lamivudine (LMV) and dolutegravir (DTG) in their ternary mixture. A partial factorial design has been utilized for calibration set construction then both CRACLS and SRACLS models have been optimized regarding the number of iterations and principal components, respectively, using a leave-one-out cross-validation procedure. It was found that a higher number of iterations and principal components were required for modelling the minor component DTG indicating more augmentation procedures to improve the models' accuracy. Validation of the proposed models was performed using external validation set of 13 mixtures and different validation parameters have been evaluated regarding models' predictive abilities. Both models showed excellent performance for analyzing ACV and LMV with relative root mean square error of prediction (RRMSEP) below 2 %. However, higher RRMSEP values around 5 % were observed for the minor component DTG suggesting that these models should be utilized with caution when analyzing minor components in mixtures. Furthermore, the suggested models have been applied for analyzing ACV, LMV and DTG in their pharmaceutical formulation and excellent agreement was observed between the suggested models and the reported chromatographic method posing these models as powerful chemometric approaches for quality control analysis of many pharmaceutical compounds.

C-5401331 identified as a novel T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (Tim-3) inhibitor to control acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell proliferation

T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (Tim-3) is a checkpoint protein expressed in exhausted T-cells during cancer scenarios. This exhaustion may end in T-cell effector dysfunction, resulting in suboptimal control of cancers like acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) to block checkpoint receptors such as Tim-3 is an emerging, revolutionary concept in the immuno-oncology therapeutic arena; however, ICIs are not effective on myeloid malignancies. Here, a multifaceted approach is utilized to identify novel compounds that target and inhibit Tim-3 with improved efficacy. High-throughput virtual screening of the ChemBridge small molecule library and molecular dynamics simulation yielded a lead molecule C-5401331 predicted to bind with high affinity and inhibit the activity of Tim-3. In vitro evaluations demonstrated the compound to have anti-proliferative effects on Tim-3-positive populations of THP-1 and HC-5401331 AML cells, inducing early and late phase apoptosis. With further development, the lead molecule identified in this work has potential to aid the natural "gatekeeper" functions of the body in immunocompromised AML cancer patients by successfully hampering the binding of Tim-3 to T-cells.

Nanozymes and carbon-dots based nanoplatforms for cancer imaging, diagnosis and therapeutics: Current trends and challenges

Cancer patients face a significant clinical and socio-economic burden due to increased incidence, mortality, and poor survival. Factors like late diagnosis, recurrence, drug resistance, severe side effects, and poor bioavailability limit the scope of current therapies. There is a need for novel, cost-effective, and safe diagnostic methods, therapeutics to overcome recurrence and drug resistance, and drug delivery vehicles with enhanced bioavailability and less off-site toxicity. Advanced nanomaterial-based research is aiding cancer biologists by providing solutions for issues like hypoxia, tumor microenvironment, low stability, poor penetration, target non-specificity, and rapid drug clearance. Currently, nanozymes and carbon-dots are attractive due to their low cost, high catalytic activity, biocompatibility, and lower toxicity. Nanozymes and carbon-dots are increasingly used in imaging, biosensing, diagnosis, and targeted cancer therapy. Integrating these materials with advanced diagnostic tools like CT scans and MRIs can aid in clinical decision-making and enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy, photothermal, photodynamic, and sonodynamic therapies, with minimal invasion and reduced collateral effects.

Identification of potential inhibitors targeting Ebola virus VP35 protein: a computational strategy

Ebola virus (EBOV) poses a severe threat as a highly infectious pathogen, causing devastating hemorrhagic fever in both humans and animals. The EBOV virus VP35 protein plays a crucial role in viral replication and exhibits the ability to suppress the host interferon cascade, leading to immune system depletion. As a potential drug target, VP35 protein inhibition holds promise for combating EBOV. To discover new drug candidates, we employed a computer-aided drug design approach, focusing on compounds capable of inhibiting VP35 protein replication. In this connection, a pharmacophore model was generated using molecular interactions between the VP35 protein and its inhibitor. ZINC and Cambridge database were screened using validated pharmacophore model. Further the compounds were filtered based on Lipinski's rule of five and subjected to MD simulation and relative binding free energy calculation. Six compounds manifest a significant docking score and strong binding interaction towards VP35 protein. MD simulations further confirmed the remarkable stability of these six complexes. Relative binding free energy calculations also showed significant ΔG value in the range of -132.3 and -49.3 kcal/mol. This study paves the way for further optimization of these compounds as potential inhibitors of VP35, facilitating subsequent experimental in vitro studies.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Green spectrofluorimetric quantification of aspirin, olmesartan, and metoprolol in spiked human plasma

Low dose aspirin is routinely taken with antihypertensive drugs such as olmesartan and metoprolol to avoid the cardiovascular and renal outcomes associated with high blood pressure. The first spectrofluorimetric method for quantifying aspirin, olmesartan, and metoprolol in spiked human plasma is described here. The emission/excitation wavelengths of Aspirin, olmesartan, and metoprolol were 404 nm/290 nm, 372 nm/250 nm, and 302 nm/230 nm, respectively. The native fluorescence spectra of metoprolol do not overlap with those of aspirin or olmesartan, although the spectra of aspirin and olmesartan overlap. As a result, metoprolol could be measured directly in a mixture at 302 nm following excitation at 230 nm. Using synchronous fluorescence spectrometry at Δλ = 110 allowed for the determination of olmesartan at 364 nm with no interference from aspirin and metoprolol. Coupling the synchronous fluorescence spectrometry with second-order derivative allowed for the determination of aspirin at 426 nm with no interference from olmesartan and metoprolol. The suggested approach has been validated using ICH M10 criteria for bioanalytical method validation and was effectively utilized for quantification of tested medications in human plasma with reasonable accuracy and precision findings. Furthermore, using two greenness metrics, the Green Analytical Procedure Index and the Analytical GREEnness, the suggested method obtained a high greenness score.

Identification by molecular dynamic simulation and in vitro validation of SISB-A1, N-[1-(4-bromophenyl)-3-methyl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl]-2-[(2-oxo-4-phenyl-2H-chromen-7-yl) oxy], as an inhibitor of the AblT315I mutant kinase to combat imatinib resistance in chronic myeloid leukemia

The discovery of imatinib, a specific inhibitor of Abl kinase, revolutionized the therapeutic approach to chronic myeloid leukemia (CML); however, its efficacy can be impeded by the emergence of novel mutations within the kinase domain, particularly AblT315I, that lead to the development of drug resistance. It therefore remains necessary to identify specific inhibitors that can effectively target imatinib-resistant CML harboring the AblT315I mutation. A natural product library sourced from the ZINC database was screened against the experimental structure of AblT315I kinase to identify compounds that selectively target the mutated kinase. The top-scoring compound was empirically tested for inhibition of AblT315I kinase using a luminescence-based kit and for impact on cellular proliferation using the BaF3-BCR-ABL-T315I stable cell line. Computational docking and molecular dynamic simulations identified the compound SISB-A1, N-[1-(4-bromophenyl)-3-methyl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl]-2-[(2-oxo-4-phenyl-2H-chromen-7-yl)oxy] acetamide, to effectively bind the catalytic domain of the mutant AblT315I kinase. Moreover, SISB-A1 exhibited greater preference than imatinib for amino acid residues of the mutant kinase's active site, including isoleucine 315. MMPBSA-based Gibbs binding free energy estimation predicted SISB-A1 to have a free energy of -51.5 versus -65.0 kcal/mol for the conventional AblT315I inhibitor ponatinib. Cell proliferation assays showed SISB-A1 to have a GI50 of 164.0 nM against the ABL-T315I stable cell line, whereas imatinib had a GI50 of 5035 nM. The IC50 value obtained for SISB-A1 against the AblT315I kinase was 197.9 nM. The results indicate SISB-A1 to have a notable ability to bind the catalytic domain of the AblT315I mutant kinase and effectively suppress its activity, thereby surpassing the associated resistance to imatinib. Continued advancement of this lead compound has the potential to yield innovative therapeutics for imatinib-resistant CML.

Association of serum leptin and resistin levels among obese Saudi patients with acute myocardial infarction in Asir region

In the current scenario, the importance of cardiac biomarkers in diagnosing, assessing, and managing people with cardiovascular discomfort is required. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between serum leptin and resistin levels among obese people with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with varying body mass index (BMI). The cardio and diabetic biomarkers among the 77 Saudi patients with hypoxia who lived in the Asir region were analyzed in the study. The patients were categorized into three groups, namely, group 1 (control), group 2 (AMI with normal BMI), and group 3 (AMI with varying BMI). Our results showed a positive correlation between serum glucose, HbA1C, triglycerides, Troponin-I (cTnI), creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), leptin, and resistin in patients with AMI. We also observed significantly lower HbA1C, cholesterol, and insulin values in groups 2 and 3. A statistical difference between the groups with and without AMI and between the genders was noticed. BMI with leptin showed a positive connection in group 3 but no association was observed for groups 1 and 2. A stronger relationship between BMI and leptin levels in men in Group 3 than in women was observed. In all three groups, resistin levels did not correlate with BMI. Thus, circulating leptin concentrations do not significant impact AMI compared to participants with and without AMI. However, resistin levels were considerably higher in obese individuals with AMI. Therefore, we suggest that resistin can be used as a pro-inflammatory marker to detect AMI disorder with varying BMI and as a prognostic marker associated with AMI.

5-Fluorouracil-Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles: Formulation, Physicochemical Characterisation, and In VitroAnti-Cancer Activity

The major goal of this investigation was to prepare a drug delivery of polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) from 5-fluorouracil (FU) that could be delivered intravenously and improve the therapeutic index of the FU. In order to achieve this, interfacial deposition method was used to prepare FU entrapped poly-(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (FU-PLGA-NPs). The influence of various experimental settings on the effectiveness of FU integration into the NPs was assessed. Our findings show that the technique used to prepare the organic phase and the ratio of the organic phase to the aqueous phase had the greatest impact on the effectiveness of FU integration into NPs. The results show that the preparation process produced spherical, homogenous, negatively charged particles with a nanometric size of 200 nm that are acceptable for intravenous delivery. A quick initial release over 24 h and then slow and steady release of FU from the formed NPs, exhibiting a biphasic pattern. Through the human small cell lung cancer cell line (NCI-H69), the in vitro anti-cancer potential of the FU-PLGA-NPs was evaluated. It was then associated to the in vitro anti-cancer potential of the marketed formulation Fluracil®. Investigations were also conducted into Cremophor-EL (Cre-EL) potential activity on live cells. The viability of NCI-H69 cells was drastically reduced when they were exposed to 50 µg·mL-1 Fluracil®. Our findings show that the integration of FU in NPs significantly increases the drug cytotoxic effect in comparison to Fluracil®, with this potential effect being particularly important for extended incubation durations.

Computational and Preclinical Analysis of 2-(4-Methyl)benzylidene-4,7-dimethyl Indan-1-one (IPX-18): A Novel Arylidene Indanone Small Molecule with Anti-Inflammatory Activity via NF-κB and Nrf2 Signaling

Background: The adverse effects of anti-inflammatory drugs urges the search for new anti-inflammatory agents. This study aims at the preclinical analysis of the in-house synthesized small molecule IPX-18. Human whole blood (HWB), peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and neutrophils were used. Rat basophil cells (RBL-2H3) were used to assess degranulation. Binding stability to NF-κB-p50 was predicted using computational docking and molecular dynamic simulations. Essential signaling proteins were evaluated through flow cytometry. Results: IPX-18 inhibited the release of TNF-α with an IC50 value of 298.8 nM and 96.29 nM in the HWB and PBMCs, respectively. The compound depicted an IC50 value of 217.6 nM in the HWB and of 103.7 nM in the PBMCs for IFN-γ inhibition. IL-2 release and IL-8 release were inhibited by IPX-18 in the HWB and PBMCs. The compound controlled the migration of and the elastase in the activated neutrophils. The IC50 value for basophil activation through the FcεRI receptor assay was found to be 91.63 nM. IPX-18 inhibited RBL-2H3-degranulation with an IC50 value of 98.52 nM. The computational docking analysis predicted that IPX-18 would effectively bind NF-κB-p50. NF-κB-phosphorylation in the activated RBL-2H3 cells was decreased, and the levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) were increased with IPX-18 treatment. Conclusions: IPX-18 demonstrated efficacy in mediating the effector cells’ inflammatory responses through NF-κB/Nrf2 signaling.

Therapeutic Efficacy of a Formulation Prepared with Linum usitatissimum L., Plantago ovata Forssk., and Honey on Uncomplicated Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Analyzed with Machine Learning Techniques

A single-blind double-dummy randomized study was conducted in diagnosed patients (n = 66) to compare the efficacy of Linseeds (Linum usitatissimum L.), Psyllium (Plantago ovata Forssk.), and honey in uncomplicated pelvic inflammatory disease (uPID) with standard drugs using experimental and computational analysis. The pessary group received placebo capsules orally twice daily plus a per vaginum cotton pessary of powder from linseeds and psyllium seeds, each weighing 3 gm, with honey (5 mL) at bedtime. The standard group received 100 mg of doxycycline twice daily and 400 mg of metronidazole TID orally plus a placebo cotton pessary per vaginum at bedtime for 14 days. The primary outcomes were clinical features of uPID (vaginal discharge, lower abdominal pain (LAP), low backache (LBA), and pelvic tenderness. The secondary outcomes included leucocytes (WBCs) in vaginal discharge on saline microscopy and the SF-12 health questionnaire. In addition, we also classified both (pessary and standard) groups using machine learning models such as Decision Tree (DT), Random Forest (RF), Logistic Regression (LR), and AdaBoost (AB). The pessary group showed a higher percentage reduction than the standard group in abnormal vaginal discharge (87.05% vs. 77.94%), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)-LAP (80.57% vs. 77.09%), VAS-LBA (74.19% vs. 68.54%), McCormack pain scale (McPS) score for pelvic tenderness (75.39% vs. 67.81%), WBC count of vaginal discharge (87.09% vs. 83.41%) and improvement in SF-12 HRQoL score (94.25% vs. 86.81%). Additionally, our DT 5-fold model achieved the maximum accuracy (61.80%) in the classification. We propose that the pessary group is cost-effective, safer, and more effective as standard drugs for treating uPID and improving the HRQoL of women. Aucubin, Plantamajoside, Herbacetin, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, Secoisolariciresinol Monoglucoside, and other various natural bioactive molecules of psyllium and linseeds have beneficial effects as they possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory properties. The anticipated research work is be a better alternative treatment for genital infections.

Design, Physical Characterizations, and Biocompatibility of Cationic Solid Lipid Nanoparticles in HCT-116 and 16-HBE Cells: A Preliminary Study

In this study, pEGFP-LUC was used as a model plasmid and three distinct cationic lipids (dioleyloxy-propyl-trimethylammonium chloride [DOTMA], dioleoyl trimethylammonium propane [DOTAP], and cetylpyridinium chloride [CPC]) were tested along with PEG 5000, as a nonionic surfactant, to prepare glyceryl monostearate (GMS)-based cationic solid lipid nanoparticles (cSLNs). Both the type and quantity of surfactant had an impact on the physicochemical characteristics of the cSLNs. Thermal analysis of the greater part of the endothermic peaks of the cSLNs revealed they were noticeably different from the individual pure compounds based on their zeta potential (ZP ranging from +17 to +56 mV) and particle size (PS ranging from 185 to 244 nm). The addition of cationic surfactants was required to produce nanoparticles (NPs) with a positive surface charge. This suggested that the surfactants and extensive entanglement of the lipid matrix GMS provided support for the behavioral diversity of the cSLNs and their capacity to interface with the plasmid DNA. Additionally, hemolytic assays were used to show that the cSLNs were biocompatible with the human colon cancer HCT-116 and human bronchial epithelial 16-HBE cell lines. The DOTMA 6-based cSLN was selected as the lead cSLN for further ex vivo and in vivo investigations. Taken together, these new findings might provide some guidance in selecting surfactants to prepare extremely efficient and non-toxic cSLN-based therapeutic delivery systems (e.g., gene therapy).

Pharmacological Validation for the Folklore Use of Ipomoea nil against Asthma: In Vivo and In Vitro Evaluation

Oxidative stress is the key factor that strengthens free radical generation which stimulates lung inflammation. The aim was to explore antioxidant, bronchodilatory along with anti-asthmatic potential of folkloric plants and the aqueous methanolic crude extract of Ipomoea nil (In.Cr) seeds which may demonstrate as more potent, economically affordable, having an improved antioxidant profile and providing evidence as exclusive therapeutic agents in respiratory pharmacology. In vitro antioxidant temperament was executed by DPPH, TFC, TPC and HPLC in addition to enzyme inhibition (cholinesterase) analysis; a bronchodilator assay on rabbit’s trachea as well as in vivo OVA-induced allergic asthmatic activity was performed on mice. In vitro analysis of 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) expressed as % inhibition 86.28 ± 0.25 with IC50 17.22 ± 0.56 mol/L, TPC 115.5 ± 1.02 mg GAE/g of dry sample, TFC 50.44 ± 1.06 mg QE/g dry weight of sample, inhibition in cholinesterase levels for acetyl and butyryl with IC50 (0.60 ± 0.67 and 1.5 ± 0.04 mol/L) in comparison with standard 0.06 ± 0.002 and 0.30 ± 0.003, respectively, while HPLC characterization of In.Cr confirmed the existence with identification as well as quantification of various polyphenolics and flavonoids i.e., gallic acid, vanillic acid, chlorogenic acid, quercetin, kaempferol and others. However, oral gavage of In.Cr at different doses in rabbits showed a better brochodilation profile as compared to carbachol and K+-induced bronchospasm. More significant (p < 0.01) reduction in OVA-induced allergic hyper-responses i.e., inflammatory cells grade, antibody IgE as well as altered IFN-α in airways were observed at three different doses of In.Cr. It can be concluded that sound mechanistic basis i.e., the existence of antioxidants: various phenolic and flavonoids, calcium antagonist(s) as well as enzymes’ inhibition profile, validates folkloric consumptions of this traditionally used plant to treat ailments of respiration.

GC-MS analysis of Taraxacum officinale flowers and investigation of antimicrobial, anti-pellicle & anti-biofilm activities

Plants synthesize large amount of useful and complex products which have no obvious metabolic and growth functions. These complex materials are said to be as secondary metabolites—phytochemicals which are plants active compounds possessing the potential to inhibit diseases. The purpose of the recent study was to investigate the pharmaceutical values of the flowers of Taraxacum officinale, for antimicrobial, anti-pellicle and anti-biofilm properties. Metanolic extracts with chloroform and n-hexane fractions against selected different bacterial (E.coli, P.aeruginosa, S.aureus, S.typhi) and fungal (F.oxysporum, A.niger, A.alternata, A.Terreus) strains were tested and GC-MS, FTIR and HPLC techniques, for detection of various secondary metabolites which are responsible for these activities, were performed. In antimicrobial assay, the result of the methanolic extract and fractions of the flowers was found to be effective against the tested bacterial and fungal strains. The GC-MS and FTIR analysis of chloroform fractions of T. officinale flowers reported the presence of a wide range of phytochemicals and secondery metabolites liable for the biological activities that can be purified in future for the synthesis of noval improved and valuable pharmaceutical products.