Antibacterial Properties and Biocompatibility of Multicomponent Titanium Oxides: A Review.

The simple oxides like titania, zirconia, and ZnO are famous with their antibacterial (or even antimicrobial) properties as well as their biocompatibility. They are broadly used for air and water filtering, in food packaging, in medicine (for implants, prostheses, and scaffolds), etc. However, these application fields can be broadened by switching to the composite multicomponent compounds (for example, titanates) containing in their unit cell, together with oxygen, several different metallic ions.

Investigation of an anticancer activity of combination of interferon-alpha and gemcitabine on pancreatic cancer cells.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is still a clinical challenge due to its deteriorated prognosis. Therefore, new combination chemotherapeutic approaches are of research interest. In this work, we attempted to characterize the effects of gemcitabine and interferon-alpha as well as the combination of both on the metabolic, pro-apoptotic, and proliferative activity of MiaPaca and Panc-1 cells.

Fucosylated Chondroitin Sulfates with Rare Disaccharide Branches from the Sea Cucumbers and : Structures and Influence on Hematopoiesis.

Two fucosylated chondroitin sulfates were isolated from the sea cucumbers and using a conventional extraction procedure in the presence of papain, followed by anion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel. Their composition was characterized in terms of quantitative monosaccharide and sulfate content, and structures were mainly elucidated using 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy. As revealed by the data of the NMR spectra, both polysaccharides along with the usual fucosyl branches contained rare disaccharide branches α-D-GalNAc46-(1→2)-α-L-Fuc34 → attached to -3 of the GlcA of the backbone ( = H or SO).

Influence of the Phase Composition of Titanium Alloys on Cell Adhesion and Surface Colonization.

The pivotal role of metal implants within the host's body following reconstructive surgery hinges primarily on the initial phase of the process: the adhesion of host cells to the implant's surface and the subsequent colonization by these cells. Notably, titanium alloys represent a significant class of materials used for crafting metal implants. This study, however, marks the first investigation into how the phase composition of titanium alloys, encompassing the volume fractions of the α, β, and ω phases, influences cell adhesion to the implant's surface.

Development of Bioactive Scaffolds for Orthopedic Applications by Designing Additively Manufactured Titanium Porous Structures: A Critical Review.

We overview recent findings achieved in the field of model-driven development of additively manufactured porous materials for the development of a new generation of bioactive implants for orthopedic applications. Porous structures produced from biocompatible titanium alloys using selective laser melting can present a promising material to design scaffolds with regulated mechanical properties and with the capacity to be loaded with pharmaceutical products. Adjusting pore geometry, one could control elastic modulus and strength/fatigue properties of the engineered structures to be compatible with bone tissues, thus preventing the stress shield effect when replacing a diseased bone fragment.

Anti-Cancer Potential of Transiently Transfected HER2-Specific Human Mixed CAR-T and NK Cell Populations in Experimental Models: Initial Studies on Fucosylated Chondroitin Sulfate Usage for Safer Treatment.

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is overexpressed in numerous cancer cell types. Therapeutic antibodies and chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) against HER2 were developed to treat human tumors. The major limitation of anti-HER2 CAR-T lymphocyte therapy is attributable to the low HER2 expression in a wide range of normal tissues.

Glycosaminoglycans from the Starfish : Structures and Influence on Hematopoiesis.

Crude anionic polysaccharides extracted from the Pacific starfish were purified by anion-exchange chromatography. The main fraction having MW 14.5 kDa and dispersity 1.

Perspectives for the Use of Fucoidans in Clinical Oncology.

Fucoidans are natural sulfated polysaccharides that have a wide range of biological functions and are regarded as promising antitumor agents. The activity of various fucoidans and their derivatives has been demonstrated in vitro on tumor cells of different histogenesis and in experiments on mice with grafted tumors. However, these experimental models showed low levels of antitumor activity and clinical trials did not prove that this class of compounds could serve as antitumor drugs.

Depolymerization of a fucosylated chondroitin sulfate from Cucumaria japonica: Structure and activity of the product.

Fucosylated chondroitin sulfate CJ from the body wall of sea cucumber Cucumaria japonica was depolymerized by the treatment with HO in the presence of Cu(OAc). The molecular weight of the polysaccharide was decreased from 32 kDa to 5 kDa. The product CJ-DP was shown to contain l-Fuc, d-GalNAc, d-GlcA, and sulfate in molar proportions of 0.

Chondroitin Sulfate and Fucosylated Chondroitin Sulfate as Stimulators of Hematopoiesis in Cyclophosphamide-Induced Mice.

The immunosuppression and inhibition of hematopoiesis are considered to be reasons for the development of complications after intensive chemotherapy and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Chondroitin sulfate (), isolated from the fish , and fucosylated chondroitin sulfate (), isolated from the sea cucumber , were studied for their roles as stimulators of hematopoiesis in a model of cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression in mice. The recombinant protein r G-CSF was applied as a reference.

Antiproliferative, proapoptotic, and tumor-suppressing effects of the novel anticancer agent alsevirone in prostate cancer cells and xenografts.

The aim of this study was to explore the mechanisms of action of alsevirone in prostate cancer (PC) in vitro and in vivo: CYP17A1 inhibition, cytotoxic, apoptotic, and antitumor effects in comparison with abiraterone. The CYP17A1-inhibitory activity was investigated in rat testicular microsomes using high-performance liquid chromatography. Testosterone levels were evaluated using enzyme-linked immunoassay.

Pharmacophore hybridization approach to discover novel pyrazoline-based hydantoin analogs with anti-tumor efficacy.

In search for new and safer anti-cancer agents, a structurally guided pharmacophore hybridization strategy of two privileged scaffolds, namely diaryl pyrazolines and imidazolidine-2,4-dione (hydantoin), was adopted resulting in a newfangled series of compounds (H1-H22). Herein, a bio-isosteric replacement of "pyrrolidine-2,5-dione" moiety of our recently reported antitumor hybrid incorporating diaryl pyrazoline and pyrrolidine-2,5-dione scaffolds with "imidazoline-2,4-dione" moiety has been incorporated. Complete biological studies revealed the most potent analog among all i.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Pyrazoline and Pyrrolidine-2,5-dione Hybrids as Potential Antitumor Agents.

In search of novel and effective antitumor agents, pyrazoline-substituted pyrrolidine-2,5-dione hybrids were designed, synthesized and evaluated in silico, in vitro and in vivo for anticancer efficacy. All the compounds exhibited remarkable cytotoxic effects in MCF7 and HT29 cells. The excellent antiproliferative activity toward MCF7 (IC =0.

The influence of ultrafine-grained structure on the mechanical properties and biocompatibility of austenitic stainless steels.

In this study, equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) of austenitic 316L and Cr-Ni-Ti stainless steels was carried out. Effect of ECAP at 400°C on the evolution of the microstructure, mechanical properties, and biocompatibility of these steels was investigated. The biocompatibility of samples with the ultrafine grain structure obtained in the ECAP process did not deteriorate in comparison with an austenitic 316L stainless steel in coarse-grained state.

Influence of Modified Fucoidan and Related Sulfated Oligosaccharides on Hematopoiesis in Cyclophosphamide-Induced Mice.

Immunosuppression derived after cytostatics application in cancer chemotherapy is considered as an adverse side effect that leads to deterioration of quality of life and risk of infectious diseases. A linear sulfated (1→3)-α-l-fucan prepared by chemical modification of a fucoidan isolated from the brown seaweed , along with two structurally related synthetic sulfated oligosaccharides, were studied as stimulators of hematopoiesis on a model of cyclophosphamide immunosuppression in mice. Recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (), which is currently applied in medicine to treat low blood neutrophils, was used as a reference.

Selective ruthenium labeling of the tryptophan residue in the bee venom Peptide melittin.

Melittin is a membrane-active peptide from bee venom with promising antimicrobial and anticancer activity. Herein we report on a simple and selective method for labeling of the tryptophan residue in melittin by the organometallic fragment [(C5 H5 )Ru](+) in aqueous solution and in air. Ruthenium coordination does not disturb the secondary structure of the peptide (as verified by 2D NMR spectroscopy), but changes the pattern of its intermolecular interactions resulting in an 11-fold decrease of hemolytic activity.

Recombinant l-phenylalanine ammonia lyase from Rhodosporidium toruloides as a potential anticancer agent.

The recombinant producer strain expressing Rhodosporidium toruloides l-phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) has been obtained, and a purification procedure of PAL has been developed. The purified enzyme, PAL, has the following biochemical and catalytic characteristics: Km for l-Phe of 0.49 mM, pH optimum at 8.

Trans-, cis-, and dihydro-resveratrol: a comparative study.

Background: Recent studies showed that moderate consumption of red or white wines increased the chances of breast cancer, while similar consumption of red wines, rich in trans-resveratrol (trans-R), decreased the rate of prostate cancer. This prompted us to explore the role of various forms of R in cancer proliferation.

Results: Trans-R was found to be the most potent antiproliferative agent.

Cytotoxic Activity of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Leukocytes, Activated by Interleukin-2/β-Cyclodextrin Nanocomposition against Androgen Receptor-Negative Prostate Cancers.

Nanocomposition comprised of interleukin-2 in suboptimal noneffective concentration and β-cyclodextrin was studied in vitro. This preparation as well as interleukin-2 in optimal concentration was shown to increase natural killer activity to K-562 cells and cytotoxicity of activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) against PC-3 and DU 145 cells. At the same time β-cyclodextrin or interleukin-2 in equimolar concentrations did not influence the spontaneous killer activity of PBMC.

Dihydro-resveratrol--a potent dietary polyphenol.

Dihydro-resveratrol (dihydro-R), a prominent polyphenol component of red wine, has a profound proliferative effect on hormone-sensitive tumor cell lines such as breast cancer cell line MCF7. We found a significant increase in MCF7 tumor cells growth rates in the presence of picomolar concentrations of this compound. The proliferative effect of dihydro-R was not observed in cell lines that do not express hormone receptors (MDA-MB-231, BT-474, and К-562).