Property of a new Prussian blue-bounded iron complex able to peroxidate non-saturated fatty acids with a tendency to create conditions that may encourage ferroptosis.

Ferroptosis is a cell death process caused by redox imbalance in the cell environment. However, the cell death pathway proves beneficial in anticancer therapy, so compounds inducing ferroptosis are sought. The paper presents a newly synthesized iron complex named FeT, composed of ferricyanide and tartrate, which seems to meet these expectations.

Amyloids, Congo red and the apple-green effect.

This paper attempts to find evidence of the previously proposed opinion that amyloids complex with Congo red molecules which preserve their supramolecular organization. As evidence of the overpowering tendency of Congo red molecules to self-assemble, we present an increasing acidity of molecules that follows increasing concentration of the dye, and a highly notable nonlinear increase in absorbance in the UV band (300-400 nm). This effect is analyzed in a model where the amyloid fibril is simulated by polyvinyl alcohol, providing a scaffold to stabilize a long Congo red micelle.

Dispersion of single-wall carbon nanotubes with supramolecular Congo red - properties of the complexes and mechanism of the interaction.

A method of dispersion of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in aqueous media using Congo red (CR) is proposed. Nanotubes covered with CR constitute the high capacity system that provides the possibility of binding and targeted delivery of different drugs, which can intercalate into the supramolecular, ribbon-like CR structure. The study revealed the presence of strong interactions between CR and the surface of SWNTs.

Silver ions as em marker of congo red ligation sites in amyloids and amyloid-like aggregates.

Congo red (CR) is a known selective amyloid ligand. The focus of our work is identification (by EM imaging) of dye binding sites and their distribution in amyloids and amyloid-like aggregates formed in vitro. In order to produce the required contrast, CR has been indirectly combined with metal via including Titan yellow (TY) by intercalation which exhibits a relatively strong affinity for silver ions.

Intramolecular immunological signal hypothesis revived--structural background of signalling revealed by using Congo Red as a specific tool.

Micellar structures formed by self-assembling Congo red molecules bind to proteins penetrating into function-related unstable packing areas. Here, we have used Congo red--a supramolecular protein ligand--to investigate how the intramolecular structural changes that take place in antibodies following antigen binding lead to complement activation. According to our findings, Congo red binding significantly enhances the formation of antigen-antibody complexes.

The use of supramolecular structures as protein ligands.

Congo red dye as well as other eagerly self-assembling organic molecules which form rod-like or ribbon-like supramolecular structures in water solutions, appears to represent a new class of protein ligands with possible wide-ranging medical applications. Such molecules associate with proteins as integral clusters and preferentially penetrate into areas of low molecular stability. Abnormal, partly unfolded proteins are the main binding target for such ligands, while well packed molecules are generally inaccessible.

Influence of the electric field on supramolecular structure and properties of amyloid-specific reagent Congo red.

Among specific amyloid ligands, Congo red and its analogues are often considered potential therapeutic compounds. However, the results of the studies so far have not been univocal because the properties of this dye, derived mostly from its supramolecular nature, are still poorly understood. The supramolecular structure of Congo red, formed by π-π stacking of dye molecules, is susceptible to the influence of the electric field, which may significantly facilitate electron delocalization.

The use of rigid, fibrillar Congo red nanostructures for scaffolding protein assemblies and inducing the formation of amyloid-like arrangement of molecules.

The ordered amyloid-like organization of protein aggregates was obtained using for their formation the rigid fibrillar nanostructures of Congo red as the scaffolding. The higher rigidity of used dye nanoparticles resulted from the stronger stacking of molecules at low pH (near the pK of the dye amino group) because of the decreased charge repulsion. The polylysine, human globin, and immunoglobulin L chain were arranged in this way to form deposits of amyloid properties.

The indirect generation of long-distance structural changes in antibodies upon their binding to antigen.

An allosteric mechanism for the generation of long-distance structural alterations in Fab fragments of antibodies in immune complexes has been postulated and tested in theoretical and experimental analysis. The flexing and/or torsion-derived forces exerted on the elbow region in Fab arms of bivalent antibodies upon binding to antigen were assumed to drive the disruption of hydrogen bonds which stabilize N- and C-terminal chain fragments in V-domains. This allows an extra movement in the elbow followed by a relaxation in the Fab arm and may generate long-distance effects if, in particular, the structural changes are generated asymmetrically involving one chain of the Fab arm only.

Albumin binds self-assembling dyes as specific polymolecular ligands.

Self-assembling dyes with a structure related to Congo red (e.g. Evans blue) form polymolecular complexes with albumin.

The use of the Congo red-related dye DBACR to recognize the heavy chain-derived abnormality of myeloma immunoglobulins.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to differentiate heavy and light chain-derived instability of monoclonal myeloma immunoglobulins by complexation of matched supramolecular dyes. These are composed of several micellar pieces of self-assembled dye molecules which may penetrate the protein interior of the binding locus with polypeptide chains. These dyes were used to elicit, by precipitation, the postulated higher aggregation tendency of the heavy chain derived from its higher hydrophobicity.

The increased flexibility of CDR loops generated in antibodies by Congo red complexation favors antigen binding.

The dye Congo red and related self-assembling compounds were found to stabilize immune complexes by binding to antibodies currently engaged in complexation to antigen. In our simulations, it was shown that the site that becomes accessible for binding the supramolecular dye ligand is located in the V domain, and is normally occupied by the N-terminal polypeptide chain fragment. The binding of the ligand disrupts the beta-structure in the domain, increasing the plasticity of the antigen-binding site.

Analysis of correlated domain motions in IgG light chain reveals possible mechanisms of immunological signal transduction.

It was shown experimentally that binding of a micelle composed of Congo red molecules to immunological complexes leads to the enhanced stability of the latter, and simultaneously prevents binding of a complement molecule (C1q). The dye binds in a cavity created by the removal of N-terminal polypeptide chain, as observed experimentally in a model system-immunoglobulin G (IgG) light chain dimer. Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations of three forms of IgG light chain dimer, with and without the dye, were performed to investigate the role of N-terminal fragment and self-assembled ligand in coupling between V and C domains.

An approach to understand the complexation of supramolecular dye Congo red with immunoglobulin L chain lambda.

Congo red, a dye of high self-assembling tendency, has been found to form complexes with proteins by adhesion of the ribbon-like supramolecular ligand to polypeptide chains of beta-conformation. Complexation is allowed by local or global protein instability, facilitating penetration of the dye to the locus of its binding. At elevated temperatures, L chain lambda of myeloma origin was found to form two distinct complexes with Congo red, easily differentiated in electrophoresis as slow- and fast-migrating fractions, bearing four- and eight-dye-molecule ligands, respectively, in the V domain of each individual chain.

Intramolecular signaling in immunoglobulins -- new evidence emerging from the use of supramolecular protein ligands.

The postulated intramolecular signaling in immunoglobulins generated by antigen binding has been controversial for years. The high heterogeneity of immune complexes as signaling systems and the requirement of the immobilized antigen form for efficient triggering of effector activity is likely the reason for the lack of clarity. Here we present new evidence supporting the notion of intramolecular signaling, based on the use of supramolecular dyes that bind to signal-derived specific sites in immunoglobulins.

Instability of monoclonal myeloma protein may be identified as susceptibility to penetration and binding by newly synthesized Congo red derivatives.

Monoclonal myeloma proteins often have an abnormal, unstable structure, and tend to aggregate with fatal clinical consequences. A method for early clinical identification of this aggregation tendency is impatiently awaited. This work proposes the use of supramolecular dyes as specific ligands to reveal protein instability.

In vivo accumulation of self-assembling dye Congo red in an area marked by specific immune complexes: possible relevance to chemotherapy.

Supramolecular micellar structures have been proposed as carriers in aim-oriented drug transportation to a target marked by specific immune complexes. In this study, the self-assembling dye Congo red was used as a model supramolecular carrier and its accumulation in the target was studied in vivo. The target was created in vivo as the local specific inflammation provoked by subcutaneous injection of antigen to the ear of a previously immunized rabbit.

Force-field parametrization and molecular dynamics simulations of Congo red.

Congo red, a diazo dye widely used in medical diagnosis, is known to form supramolecular systems in solution. Such a supramolecular system may interact with various proteins. In order to examine the nature of such complexes empirical force field parameters for the Congo red molecule were developed.

The structure and protein binding of amyloid-specific dye reagents.

The self-assembling tendency and protein complexation capability of dyes related to Congo red and also some dyes of different structure were compared to explain the mechanism of Congo red binding and the reason for its specific affinity for beta-structure. Complexation with proteins was measured directly and expressed as the number of dye molecules bound to heat-aggregated IgG and to two light chains with different structural stability. Binding of dyes to rabbit antibodies was measured indirectly as the enhancement effect of the dye on immune complex formation.