Publications by authors named "Nair Balachandran Unni"

Functionalized metal oxide nanoparticles cross-linked collagen scaffolds are widely used in skin regenerative applications because of their enhanced physicochemical and biocompatibility properties. From the safety clinical trials point of view, there are no reports that have compared the effects of functionalized metal oxide nanoparticles mediated collagen scaffolds for in vivo skin regenerative applications. In this work, triethoxysilane-poly (amido amine) dendrimer generation 3 (TES-PAMAM-G or G)-functionalized spherical shape metal oxide nanoparticles (MO NPs: ZnO, TiO, FeO, CeO, and SiO, size: 12-25 nm) cross-linked collagen scaffolds were prepared by using a self-assembly method.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In the past few decades, the design and fabrication of bio-scaffolds exhibiting structural stability in long-term and biocompatibility has received much attention in the field of tissue engineering application. In this direction, we have synthesized different mole ratio of PdO-TiO nanocomposites (1:1, 2:1 and 3:1 of Pd:Ti, size 5-11nm, 7-16 nm and 9-22 nm) through a simple single step sol-gel method. The obtained nanocomposites of different sizes were assimilated into poly (methyl methacrylate) grafted collagen biopolymer (g-PMMA-Collagen), resulting in a PdO-TiO-g-PMMA-Collagen based scaffold.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Collagen, an extracellular matrix protein, has been used for diverse biological applications due to its clinically safe in nature and for the development of various biomedical devices. As the ECM protein is prone to degradation process, it is necessary to stabilize the collagen. In the present study, we have carried out the stabilization of collagen using newly synthesized gold nanoparticles conjugated with Ru(II) complexes (NCs) possessing different ligand environment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Functionalization of nanoparticle with specific groups is one of the most straightforward strategies to induce structural stability and specific cell responses from collagen based biomaterials. The effect of functionalised nanoparticles on triple helical conformational changes in collagen has not been understood well. For understanding the role of functionalization on collagen conformation, gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) prepared through wet chemical methods and functionalized with organic molecules (F-AuNPs) such as self-assembled monolayer (SAM), (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES), Polysaccharides (pectin and chitosan) and Poly(amido amine) PAMAM dendrimer (G), were characterised and their interaction with collagen was studied.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Two mononuclear copper (II) terpyridine complexes namely, [Cu(Btptpy) (ClO)](ClO) 1, and [Cu(Bttpy) (ClO)](ClO) 2, (Btptpy (L) = 4'-(Benzothiophene)-2,2':6',2″-terpyridine, Bttpy (L) = 4'-(Benzylthiazolyl)-2,2':6',2″-terpyridine) have been synthesized and characterized. Single crystal X-ray diffraction shows that, both ligands belong to monoclinic crystal system with space group P2/c (L) and P2/n (L). Absorption spectral titration, DNA melting study, circular dichroism and viscosity measurement reveal that, complex 1 and 2 bind with DNA through intercalation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) of different sizes (10nm, 35nm, 55nm) in creating a collagen-based scaffold for tissue engineering and wound healing.
  • AgNPs were synthesized using pectin through a microwave method, and their incorporation improved the properties of collagen scaffolds, such as increased denaturation temperature and mechanical strength.
  • Findings indicate that the 10nm Ag-pectin nanoparticles enhance both antibacterial activity and cell viability for keratinocytes, suggesting potential use in biomedical applications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Tetragonal (t)-LaVO has turned out to be a potential host for luminescent materials. Synthesis of t-LaVO till date has been based on chelating effect of EDTA making it not ideal for bioimaging applications. An alternative was proposed by us through the use of catechin.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Creating collagen scaffolds that mimic extracellular matrices without using toxic exogenous materials remains a big challenge. A new strategy to create scaffolds through end-to-end crosslinking through functionalized nanorods leading to well-designed architecture is presented here. Self-assembled scaffolds with a denaturation temperature of 110 °C, porosity of 70%, pore size of 0.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Ever since the ability of laccase to oxidize non-phenolic lignin models was described, the oxidative degradation reactions catalyzed by laccase have been widely studied for paper pulp production or detoxification of aromatic pollutants. The viability of developing eco-friendly, laccase aided industrial processes has been explored. Here, we report the isolation and screening of fungi to explore their lignolytic ability on solid media using various substrates as indicators.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Collagenase is crucial for collagen breakdown in processes like wound healing and cancer spread, but its degradation mechanism is not fully understood.
  • The study investigates how substituting D-Alanine in collagen-like peptides affects their structure and stability against collagenase hydrolysis, using circular dichroic spectroscopy.
  • Findings indicate that D-Alanine enhances the formation of a specific peptide conformation, which may inhibit collagenase activity and could be useful for developing new peptide-based materials that interact with enzymes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Collagen-based biomaterials have received considerable attention for smarter biomedical applications due to their inherent superior mechano-biological properties. However, accumulating evidence suggests that water, as a probe liquid bound in collagen, might be investigated to explore the influence of additives on the static and dynamic solvation behavior of collagen. The structure and dynamics of water near the surface/interface of collagen-fenugreek composites were demonstrated via circular dichroic spectroscopy, thermoporometry and impedimetric measurements to enlighten about the configuration-function relationship of collagen.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Native collagen is arranged in bundles of aligned fibrils to withstand in vivo mechanical loads. Reproducing such a process under in vitro conditions has not met with major success. Our approach has been to induce nanolinks, during the self-assembly process, leading to delayed rather than inhibited fibrillogenesis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Two imidazole terpyridine (itpy) based complexes, [Cu(itpy)(OAc)(H2O)]NO3·H2O (1) and [Zn(itpy)(OAc)]OAc (2) have been synthesised and characterized. The crystal structure of complex 1 shows distorted octahedral geometry with an anti-parallel stacking arrangement. The interactions of the two complexes with Calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) have been studied using absorption titration and circular dichroism.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The quadrupolar and octupolar cyano triphenylamines exhibit a special charge transfer state that lacks symmetry.
  • Their stability is influenced by the rotation of the N-C bond in the amino and phenylene parts of the molecule.
  • This means that adjusting the bond's rotation can help control the properties of these compounds.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In our search towards copper(II) based anticancer compounds, copper(II) complexes [Cu(bitpy)2](ClO4)21, [Cu(bitpy)(phen)](NO3)22 and [Cu(bitpy)(NO3)](NO3) 3 were synthesized and characterized. All the three complexes contain the tridentate ligand bitpy, which bears biologically relevant benzimidazolyl head group, as one of the ligands. Because of the presence of the planar benzimidazolyl group in the bitpy ligand, the complexes exhibited intercalative mode of binding with DNA.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Four coordinate copper(II) complexes 1, 2 and 3 of ligands based on thiophenemethylamine containing imidazole, benzimidazole and pyridine moiety have been synthesized and characterized. Complex 1 has also been crystallographically characterized. The three complexes bind to DNA non-intercalatively, though partial intercalation in the case of complex 2 cannot be ruled out.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Formulation of biodegradable collagen-poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) based biomaterials for the sustained release of insulin is the main objective of the present work. PCL has been employed to modulate the physico-chemical behavior of collagen to control the drug release. Designed formulations were employed to statistically optimize insulin release parameter profile at different collagen to PCL molar ratios.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Chromium is extensively used in leather, chrome plating and refining industries. On one hand the occupational exposure to chromium leads to cancer, whereas on the contrary certain Cr(III) compounds have been proposed as nutritional supplements for Type II diabetes and as muscle building agents. Despite the positive outlook of chromium as a bio-essential element, there is increasing concern over the therapeutic application of Cr(III) based supplements, its bioavailability and toxicity profile.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Two copper(II) complexes with terpyridyl conjugates, [Cu(meotpy)(dmp)](NO(3))(2) (1) and [Cu(bitpy)(dmp)](NO(3))(2) (2) where meotpy, bitpy and dmp stand for methoxybenzyl terpyridine, benzimidazolyl terpyridine and dimethyl phenanthroline respectively have been synthesized and characterized. Complex 1 has also been characterized crystallographically. Both the complexes have been found to bind CT-DNA intercalatively.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Three mononuclear copper(II) complexes, [Cu(tpy)Cl(2)] 1, [Cu(tpy)(NO(3))(2)(H(2)O)] 2 and [Cu(Ptpy)Cl(2)]·H(2)O·HCl 3 have been synthesised and characterized by various spectroscopic techniques and single crystal X-ray diffraction. Complexes 1 and 3 have five coordinate geometry in solid state, whereas complex 2 has six coordinate geometry. Mass spectral and EPR evidence suggest that in solution all the three complexes exist predominantly as a four coordinate species.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Stabilization of collagen for various applications employs chemicals such as aldehydes, metal ions, polyphenols, etc. Stability against enzymatic, thermal and mechanical degradation is required for a range of biomedical applications. The premise of this research is to explore the use of nanoparticles with suitable functionalization/encapsulation to crosslink with collagen, such that the three dimensional architecture had the desired stability.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Mixed ligand complexes of ruthenium(II), [Ru(itpy)(bpy)Cl]ClO(4)1, [Ru(itpy)(phen)Cl]ClO(4)2, [Ru(bitpy)(bpy)Cl]ClO(4)3 and [Ru(bitpy)(phen)Cl]ClO(4)4 have been synthesized and characterized. Complex 3 has also been characterized crystallographically. These complexes exhibit photolability of the Ru-Cl bond.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We report two fluorophores with open coordination sites for specific sensing of Ni(2+) and Cu(2+) ions via a simple synthetic route. The fluorescence activity was completely quenched on coordination of the metal ions with the phenanthroline ring present in the fluorophore as is clearly evident from the photophysical studies.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Collagen is the main component of connective tissue and finds immense applications as a biomaterial. In this study, effect of UV irradiation on collagen crosslinked with iron has been carried out. The physical and optical properties of crosslinked collagen affected by UV irradiation were analyzed using electrospectral and fluorescence studies.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Two new mixed ligand complexes of copper (II) containing an imidazolyl terpyridine ligand, [Cu(Itpy)(bpy)](ClO(4))(2)·(H(2)O), 1, and [Cu(Itpy)(phen) (ClO(4))](ClO(4))·(H(2)O), 2 have been synthesized and characterized. Complex 1 has been found to possess a distorted square pyramidal geometry whereas 2 exhibit a distorted octahedral geometry. Electronic spectral titrations suggest that 1 and 2 bind to DNA intercalatively with the binding constant, K(b) (4.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF