L-Cysteine/Silver Nitrate/Iodate Anions System: Peculiarities of Supramolecular Gel Formation with and Without Visible-Light Exposure.

In this study, novel anion photo-responsive supramolecular hydrogels based on cysteine-silver sol (CSS) and iodate anions (IO) were prepared. The peculiarities of the self-assembly process of gel formation in the dark and under visible-light exposure were studied using a complex of modern physico-chemical methods of analysis, including viscosimetry, UV spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, electrophoretic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In the dark phase, the formation of weak snot-like gels takes place in a quite narrow IO ion concentration range.

Preparation of Composite Hydrogels Based on Cysteine-Silver Sol and Methylene Blue as Promising Systems for Anticancer Photodynamic Therapy.

In this study, a novel supramolecular composite, "photogels", was synthesized by mixing of cysteine-silver sol (CSS) and methylene blue (MB). A complex of modern physico-chemical methods of analysis such as viscosimetry, UV spectroscopy, dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed that MB molecules are uniformly localized mainly in the space between fibers of the gel-network formed by CSS particles. Molecules of the dye also bind with the surface of CSS particles by non-covalent interactions.

Effects of Isoxazolyl Steroids on Key Genes of Sonic Hedgehog Cascade Expression in Tumor Cells.

Activation of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway is often associated with the progression of various types of cancer. The purpose of study was to search for inhibitors of the Hh signaling pathway among eight compounds belonging to the group of isoxazolyl steroids. The evaluation of the effectiveness of the compounds was based on the analysis of their cytotoxicity, effect on the cell cycle, on the expression of key Hh-signaling-pathway genes (Ptch1, Smo, and Gli1) and putative target genes MMP-2 and MMP-9.

Fluoride-Ion-Responsive Sol-Gel Transition in an L-Cysteine/AgNO System: Self-Assembly Peculiarities and Anticancer Activity.

Supramolecular hydrogels based on low-molecular-weight compounds are a unique class of so-called "soft" materials, formed by weak non-covalent interactions between precursors at their millimolar concentrations. Due to the variety of structures that can be formed using different low-molecular-weight gelators, they are widely used in various fields of technology and medicine. In this study, we report for the first time an unusual self-assembly process of mixing a hydrosol obtained from L-cysteine and silver nitrate (cysteine-silver sol-CSS) with sodium halides.

Impact of dihydropyrimidinase-related protein 2 in memory formation on rats and its possible role in neuronal back remodeling.

The article concerns the problem of molecular mechanisms of memory formation. In this study the effects of polyclonal antibodies to serotonin-modulating anticonsolidation protein (SMAP) complex and its component dihydropyrimidinase-related protein 2 (DRP2) have been analyzed. Intra-cerebral administration of polyclonal anti-SMAP antibody significantly enhanced elaboration and strengthened memory formation in two complex behavioral conditioned models.