Selective Targeting of Proteins by Hybrid Polyoxometalates: Interaction Between a Bis-Biotinylated Hybrid Conjugate and Avidin.

The Keggin-type polyoxometalate [γ-SiWO] was covalently modified to obtain a bis-biotinylated conjugate able to bind avidin. Spectroscopic studies such as UV-vis, fluorimetry, circular dichroism, coupled to surface plasmon resonance technique were used to highlight the unique interplay of supramolecular interactions between the homotetrameric protein and the bis-functionalized polyanion. In particular, the dual recognition mechanism of the avidin encompasses (i) a complementary electrostatic association between the anionic surface of the polyoxotungstate and each positively charged avidin subunit and (ii) specific host-guest interactions between each biotinylated arm and a corresponding pocket on the tetramer subunits.

Nanosensors for early cancer detection and for therapeutic drug monitoring.

The use of nanotechnology for drug delivery in cancer therapy has raised high expectations. Additionally, the use of nanomaterials in sensors to extract and detect tumor specific biomarkers, circulating tumor cells, or extracellular vesicles shed by the tumor holds the promise to detect cancer much earlier and hence improve long-term survival of the patients. Moreover, the monitoring of the anticancer drug concentration, which has a narrow therapeutic window, will allow for a personalized dosing of the drug and will lead to improved therapeutic outcome and life quality of the patient.

Plasma 24S-hydroxycholesterol correlation with markers of Huntington disease progression.

24S-hydroxycholesterol (24OHC) is involved in the conversion of excess cholesterol in the brain, and its level in plasma is related to the number of metabolically active neuronal cells. Previous research suggests that plasma 24OHC is substantially reduced in the presence of neurodegenerative disease. Huntington disease (HD) is an inherited autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by a cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) triplet repeat expansion in the coding region of the huntingtin (HTT) gene.