Synthesis, characterization and biological evaluation of two cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes containing a glutathione S-transferase inhibitor.

The cyclometalated iridium(III) compounds have been intensively studied for health-related applications due to their outstanding luminescent properties and multiple anticancer modes of action. Herein, two iridium(III) compounds Ir-1 and Ir-3 containing glutathione S-transferase inhibitor (GSTi) were developed and studied together with two unfunctionalized compounds Ir-2 and Ir-4 as a comparison. Biological study indicated that GSTi-bearing complexes Ir-1 and Ir-3 exert a synergistic effect on the inhibition of cancer cells.

Multifunctional platinum(IV) complex bearing HDAC inhibitor and biotin moiety exhibits prominent cytotoxicity and tumor-targeting ability.

Despite the wide clinical use of platinum drugs in cancer treatment, their severe side effects and lack of tumor selectivity seriously limit their further clinical application. To address the limitations of the current platinum drugs, herein a multifunctional platinum(IV) compound 1 containing a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor (4-phenylbutyric acid, 4-PBA) and a tumor-targeting group (biotin) has been designed and prepared. An cytotoxicity study indicated that compound 1 exhibits comparable or superior cytotoxicity to cisplatin against the tested cancer cell lines, but greatly reduced toxicity in human normal liver LO2 cells, implying the potential tumor-targeting ability of compound 1.

Surface modification of BiOBr/TiO by reduced AgBr for solar-driven PAHs degradation: Mechanism insight and application assessment.

A novel solar active AgBr/BiOBr/TiO catalyst was synthesized by a facile coprecipitation method for solar-driven water remediation. The synthesized material composed of flower-like TiO nanoparticles loaded on BiOBr nanosheets and with homogeneous surface distributed Ag/AgBr nanoparticles. The internal electric field between BiOBr/TiO heterojunction greatly facilitated the charge carrier migration; the introduction of narrow band gap semiconductors (AgBr and BiOBr) promoted the visible light adsorption; and the Ag/AgBr nanoparticles acted as photosensitizer to further improve the light utilization.

Host defense peptides in skin secretions of Odorrana tiannanensis: Proof for other survival strategy of the frog than merely anti-microbial.

Genus Odorrana, among all amphibians studied, is generally reported to have the most abundant and diversified anti-microbial peptides even from a single individual frog. In our previous work, 46 cDNA sequences encoding precursors of 22 different anti-microbial peptides (AMPs) were characterized from the skin of frog, Odorrana tiannanensis. In this work, we reported the purification of three AMPs from skin secretions of O.

Gene cloning and characterization of novel antinociceptive peptide from the brain of the frog, Odorrana grahami.

Amphibian opiate peptides including dermorphins and deltorpins have been recently found only in the skin of South American frogs belonging to the subfamily Phyllomedusinae (Phyllomedusa, Agalychnis and Pachymedusa species). No opiate peptides have ever been identified from other amphibians or organs except skin. Here we report the purification and characterization of a novel antinociceptive peptide named odorranaopin from the homogenates of the frog brains, Odorrana grahami, which is also the first antinociceptive peptide found in Ranidae amphibian.

Gene cloning, expression and characterization of avian cathelicidin orthologs, Cc-CATHs, from Coturnix coturnix.

Cathelicidins comprise a family of antimicrobial peptides sharing a highly conserved cathelin domain, which play a central role in the early innate host defense against infection. In the present study, we report three novel avian cathelicidin orthologs cloned from a constructed spleen cDNA library of Coturnix coturnix, using a nested-PCR-based cloning strategy. Three coding sequences containing ORFs of 447, 465 and 456 bp encode three mature antimicrobial peptides (named Cc-CATH1, 2 and 3) of 26, 32 and 29 amino acid residues, respectively.

Molecular cloning and characterization of novel cathelicidin-derived myeloid antimicrobial peptide from Phasianus colchicus.

Cathelicidins were initially characterized as a family of antimicrobial peptides. Now it is clear that they fulfill several immune functions in addition to their antimicrobial activity. In the current work, three cDNA sequences encoding pheasant cathelicidins were cloned from a constructed bone marrow cDNA library of Phasianus colchicus, using a nested-PCR-based cloning strategy.

Non-Bragg resonance of surface water waves in a trough with periodic walls.

The non-Bragg resonance of surface water waves is investigated, both theoretically and experimentally, in a trough with square-wave corrugated sidewalls. Unlike the familiar Bragg resonances, the non-Bragg resonances occur far from the edges of the Brillouin zone and open additional forbidden bands. The experimental observations confirm the existence of these resonances, and the measurements for the transmission properties showing both Bragg and non-Bragg band gaps agree fairly well with the theoretical predictions obtained by the plane-wave expansion method.