The effective measurement of temperature in living systems at the nano and microscopic scales continues to be a challenge to this day. Here, we study the use of 2-(anthracen-2-yl)-1,3-diisopropylguanidine, 1, as a nanothermometer based on fluorescence lifetime measurements and its bioimaging applications. In aqueous solution, 1 is shown in aggregated form and the equilibrium between the two main aggregate types (T-shaped and π-π) is highly sensitive to the temperature.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe modular synthesis of the heteroscorpionate core is explored as a tool for the rapid development of ruthenium-based therapeutic agents. Starting with a series of structurally diverse alcohol-NN ligands, a family of heteroscorpionate-based ruthenium derivatives was synthesized, characterized, and evaluated as an alternative to platinum therapy for breast cancer therapy. In vitro, the antitumoral activity of the novel derivatives was assessed in a series of breast cancer cell lines using UNICAM-1 and cisplatin as metallodrug control.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAIEgens have emerged as a promising alternative to molecular rotors in bioimaging applications. However, transferring the concept of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) from solution to living systems remains a challenge. Given the highly heterogeneous nature and the compartmentalization of the cell, different approaches are needed to control the self-assembly within the crowded intricate cellular environment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Artificial insemination (AI) is a routine breeding technology in animal reproduction. Nevertheless, the temperature-sensitive nature and short fertile lifespan of ram sperm samples hamper its use in AI. In this sense, nanotechnology is an interesting tool to improve sperm protection due to the development of nanomaterials for AI, which could be used as delivery vehicles.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPiperine (PIP), a compound found in , has shown promise as a potential chemotherapeutic agent for breast cancer. However, its inherent toxicity has limited its application. To overcome this challenge, researchers have developed PIP@MIL-100(Fe), an organic metal-organic framework (MOF) that encapsulates PIP for breast cancer treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Cell Infect Microbiol
April 2023
is one of the species with the greatest clinical importance and greatest impact on public health. In fact, methicillin-resistant (MRSA) is considered a pandemic pathogen, being essential to develop effective medicines and combat its rapid spread. This study aimed to foster the translation of clinical research outcomes based on metallodrugs into clinical practice for the treatment of MRSA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe advent of nanotechnology in the field of animal reproduction has led to the development of safer and more efficient therapies. The use of nanotechnology allows us to avoid the detrimental effects of certain traditional antioxidants, such as Vitamin E. Its hydrophobic nature makes mandatory the use of organic solvents, which are toxic to sperm cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCancers (Basel)
September 2022
BRCA1/2 protein-deficient or mutated cancers comprise a group of aggressive malignancies. Although PARPis have shown considerably efficacy in their treatment, the widespread use of these agents in clinical practice is restricted by various factors, including the development of acquired resistance due to the presence of compensatory pathways. BETis can completely disrupt the HR pathway by repressing the expression of BRCA1 and could be aimed at generation combination regimes to overcome PARPi resistance and enhance PARPi efficacy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe incessant developments in the pharmaceutical and biomedical fields, particularly, customised solutions for specific diseases with targeted therapeutic treatments, require the design of multicomponent materials with multifunctional capabilities. Biodegradable polymers offer a variety of tailored physicochemical properties minimising health adverse side effects at a low price and weight, which are ideal to design matrices for hybrid materials. PLAs emerge as an ideal candidate to develop novel materials as are endowed withcombined ambivalent performance parameters.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA series of bionanocomposites composed of shark gelatin hydrogels and PLA nanoparticles featuring different nanostructures were designed to generate multifunctional drug delivery systems with tailored release rates required for personalized treatment approaches. The global conception of the systems was considered from the desired customization of the drug release while featuring the viscoelastic properties needed for their ease of storage and posterior local administration as well as their biocompatibility and cell growth capability for the successful administration at the biomolecular level. The hydrogel matrix offers the support to develop a direct thermal method to convert the typical kinetic trapped nanostructures afforded by the formulation method whilst avoiding the detrimental nanoparticle agglomeration that diminishes their therapeutic effect.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDegradation of targeted proteins using proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) has gained momentum. A PROTAC is a bifunctional molecule that consists of three parts: a ligand that interacts with the protein to be degraded, another ligand that binds to an E3 ubiquitin ligase and a linker that connects both. Identification of the right proteins as targets to be degraded and a ligase that is highly expressed in tumors compare with normal tissue is mandatory, as can augment efficacy reducing toxicity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLaryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol
February 2022
Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antibacterial effects of a Cymene-based bis(pyrazolyl)methane derivative (SC-19) to advance in developing alternative therapeutic compounds to fight against bacterial isolates from patients with otitis externa (OE).
Methods: Eighteen swab specimens were collected from patients aged over 18 years diagnosed with OE within at least 7 days of symptom onset, contaminated by only one bacterium type: ( = 5); ( = 8); ( = 2); ( = 1); ( = 2). To appraise antibacterial activity, minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC), minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC), and minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) assays were run at different SC-19 concentrations.
Stereo-diblock copolymers of high molecular weight polylactide (PLA) were synthetized by the one pot-sequential addition method assisted by a heteroscorpionate catalyst without the need of a co-initiator. The alkyl zinc organometallic heteroscorpionate derivative (Zn(Et)(κ-bpzteH)] (bpzteH = 2,2-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)-1-para-tolylethoxide) proved to assist in the mechanism of reaction following a coordination-insertion process. Kinetic studies along with the linear correlation between monomer and number average molecular weight (M) conversion, and the narrow polydispersities supported the truly living polymerization character of the initiator, whereas matrix-assisted laser desorption/Ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) studies showed a very low order of transesterification.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOxidative stress has become a major concern in the field of spermatology, and one of the possible solutions to this acute problem would be the use of antioxidant protection; however, more studies are required in this field, as highly contradictory results regarding the addition of antioxidants have been obtained. Vitamin E is a powerful biological antioxidant, but its low stability and high hydrophobicity limit its application in spermatology, making the use of organic solvents necessary, which renders spermatozoa practically motionless. Keeping this in mind, we propose the use of hydrogels (HVEs) and nanoemulsions (NVEs), alone or in combination, as carriers for the controlled release of vitamin E, thus, improving its solubility and stability and preventing oxidative stress in sperm cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Nanobiotechnology
September 2021
Background: Sarcomas comprise a group of aggressive malignancies with very little treatment options beyond standard chemotherapy. Reposition of approved drugs represents an attractive approach to identify effective therapeutic compounds. One example is mithramycin (MTM), a natural antibiotic which has demonstrated a strong antitumour activity in several tumour types, including sarcomas.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFQuantitative analysis of sulfate anions in water still remains an important challenge for the society. Among all the methodologies, the most successful one is based on optical supramolecular receptors because the presence of small concentrations of sulfate anion modifies the photophysical properties of the receptor. In this case, fluorescence anion sensors have been designed by the incorporation of guanidine motifs into fluorenyl cores.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study was designed to propose alternative therapeutic compounds to fight against bacterial pathogens. Thus, a library of nitrogen-based compounds bis(triazolyl)methane (1T-7T) and bis(pyrazolyl)methane (1P-11P) was synthesised following previously reported methodologies and their antibacterial activity was tested using the collection strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Moreover, the novel compound 2P was fully characterized by IR, UV-Vis and NMR spectroscopy.
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