Manganese protects wheat from the mycotoxin zearalenone and its derivatives.

Searching for factors that reduce zearalenone (ZEN) toxicity is an important challenge in wheat production, considering that this crop is a basic dietary ingredient. ZEN, absorbed by cells, is metabolized into α-zearalenol and α-zearalanol, and this study focused on the function of manganese ions as potential protectants against the mycotoxins. Stress effects were invoked by an application of 30 µM ZEN and its derivatives.

Studies of Lipid Monolayers Prepared from Native and Model Plant Membranes in Their Interaction with Zearalenone and Its Mixture with Selenium Ions.

The impact of zearalenone and selenate ions on the monolayers of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DPTAP), and the lipid mixtures (phospholipids and galactolipids) extracted from wheat plasmalemma has been studied using Langmuir trough technique and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). The zearalenone is a mycotoxin that exerts toxic effects on the cells of plants and animals. Monolayers' properties were characterized by surface pressure (π)-molecular area (A) isotherms.

'One-component' ultrathin multilayer films based on poly(vinyl alcohol) as stabilizing coating for phenytoin-loaded liposomes.

Ultrathin "one-component" multilayer polymeric films for potential biomedical applications were designed based on polyvinyl alcohol,-a non-toxic, fully degradable synthetic polymer. Good uniformity of the obtained film and adequate adsorption properties of the polymeric layers were achieved by functional modification of the polymer, which involved synthesis of cationic and anionic derivatives. Synthesized polymers were characterized by FTIR, NMR spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering measurements and elemental analysis.

Temperature dependence of the interaction of prazosin with lipid Langmuir monolayers.

The influence of temperature on membrane-prazosin interactions was studied. Prazosin, a quinazoline derivative of 2-furoylpiperazine, is a classic antihypertensive and antiarrhythmic drug. A mixed cholesterol/phospholipid monolayer at the water/air interface was employed as a simplified biomembrane model.

Curcumin-containing liposomes stabilized by thin layers of chitosan derivatives.

Stable vesicles for efficient curcumin encapsulation, delivery and controlled release have been obtained by coating of liposomes with thin layer of newly synthesized chitosan derivatives. Three different derivatives of chitosan were obtained and studied: the cationic (by introduction of the stable, quaternary ammonium groups), the hydrophobic (by attachment of N-dodecyl groups) and cationic-hydrophobic one (containing both quaternary ammonium and N-dodecyl groups). Zeta potential measurements confirmed effective coating of liposomes with all these chitosan derivatives.

Influence of polymer-surfactant aggregates on fluid flow.

This paper describes the influence of interactions of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) with cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) micelles on drag reduction. Since the interactions between PEO and CTAB micelles alone are weak, salicylate ions were used as CTAB counterions. They facilitate formation of polymer-micelle aggregates by screening the electrostatic repulsions between the charged surfactant headgroups.

Interaction of prazosin with model membranes--a Langmuir monolayer study.

In this study, the effect of prazosin on the molecular interactions between cholesterol and 1,2-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) within a monolayer at an air-water interface was studied. A mixed cholesterol/DPPC monolayer was employed as a model lipid membrane. From a detailed analysis of surface pressure-area isotherms, it was concluded that DPPC and cholesterol were miscible and formed non-ideal monolayers on prazosin solution.

Interaction of curcumin with lipid monolayers and liposomal bilayers.

Curcumin shows huge potential as an anticancer and anti-inflammatory agent. However, to achieve a satisfactory bioavailability and stability of this compound, its liposomal form is preferable. Our detailed studies on the curcumin interaction with lipid membranes are aimed to obtain better understanding of the mechanism and eventually to improve the efficiency of curcumin delivery to cells.

Mixed DPPC/DPTAP monolayers at the air/water interface: influence of indolilo-3-acetic acid and selenate ions on the monolayer morphology.

The interactions of mixed monolayers of two lipids, zwitterionic 1,2-dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and positively charged 1,2-dipalmitoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DPTAP), with phytohormone indolilo-3-acetic acid (IAA) and selenate anions in the aqueous subphase were studied. For this purpose, isotherms of the surface pressure versus the mean molecular area were recorded. Domain formation was investigated by using Brewster angle microscopy (BAM).

Effect of tocopherol on surface properties of plastid lipids originating from wheat calli cultivated in cadmium presence.

The behaviour of equimolar mixtures of alpha-tocopherol with monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) and phospholipids (PL) isolated from wheat calli cultured on media with and without cadmium was investigated at the air-water interface by surface pressure-area (pi-A) measurements established using an automated Langmuir-type film balance. It was found that monolayers of all studied compounds were expanded. The additivity rule was not fulfilled and the collapse pressure of mixtures was different from these recorded for pure components.

Influence of cadmium and selenate on the interactions between hormones and phospholipids.

In this study, the influence of plant hormones, negatively charged indolilo-3-acetic acid (IAA) and positively charged zeatin, on lipid membranes was studied. As models of negatively and positively charged biological membranes, monolayers of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-[phospho-l-serine] (DMPS) and 1,2-dipalmitoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DPTAP) at the water/air interface were used, respectively. Additionally, the effect of cadmium and selenium ions on the interactions between hormones and lipids was studied.

Effect of selenium on characteristics of rape chloroplasts modified by cadmium.

Selenium appears to be an important protective agent that decreases cadmium-induced toxic effects in animals and plants. The aim of these studies was to investigate the changes of properties of chloroplast membranes obtained from Cd-treated rape seedlings caused by Se additions. Chloroplasts were isolated from leaves of 3-week-old rape plants cultured on Murashige-Skoog media supplied with 2 microM Na(2)SeO(4) and/or 400 microM CdCl(2) under in vitro conditions.

Differences in surface behaviour of galactolipoids originating from different kind of wheat tissue cultivated in vitro.

The aim of presented researches was to investigate the physicochemical properties of Langmuir monolayer of galactolipids extracted from two different kinds of plastids: immature embryos and inflorescences. Differences between the physicochemical properties of the plastid membranes may help to explain different physiological processes, such as plant regeneration. Surface pressure (pi) vs.