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The purpose of this study was to develop and implement an in silico model of indigoid-based single-electron transistor (SET) nanodevices, which consist of indigoid molecules from natural dye weakly coupled to gold electrodes that function in a Coulomb blockade regime. The electronic properties of the indigoid molecules were investigated using the optimized density-functional theory (DFT) with a continuum model. Higher electron transport characteristics were determined for Tyrian purple, consistent with experimentally derived data. Overall, these results can be used to correctly predict and emphasize the electron transport functions of organic SETs, demonstrating their potential for sustainable nanoelectronics comprising the biodegradable and biocompatible materials.
After a large outbreak in Brazil, novel drugs against Zika virus became extremely necessary. Evaluation of virus-based pharmacological strategies concerning essential host factors brought us to the idea that targeting the Axl receptor by blocking its dimerization function could be critical for virus entry. Starting from experimentally validated compounds, such as RU-301, RU-302, warfarin, and R428, we identified a novel compound 2′ (R428 derivative) to be the most potent for this task amongst a number of alternative compounds and leads. The improved affinity of compound 2′ was confirmed by molecular docking as well as molecular dynamics simulation techniques using implicit solvation models. The current study summarizes a new possibility for inhibition of the Axl function as a potential target for future antiviral therapies.
Glucocorticoids (GCs) are steroid hormones that have inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects on a wide variety of cells. They are used as therapy for inflammatory disease and as a common agent against edema. The blood brain barrier (BBB), comprising microvascular endothelial cells, serves as a permeability screen between the blood and the brain. As such, it maintains homeostasis of the central nervous system (CNS). In many CNS disorders, BBB integrity is compromised. GC treatment has been demonstrated to improve the tightness of the BBB. The responses and effects of GCs are mediated by the ubiquitous GC receptor (GR). Ligand-bound GR recognizes and binds to the GC response element located within the promoter region of target genes. Transactivation of certain target genes leads to improved barrier properties of endothelial cells. In this review, we deal with the role of GCs in endothelial cell barrier function. First, we describe the mechanisms of GC action at the molecular level. Next, we discuss the regulation of the BBB by GCs, with emphasis on genes targeted by GCs such as occludin, claudins and VE-cadherin. Finally, we present currently available GC therapeutic strategies and their limitations.
Central nervous system dysfunction is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection and acquired immunodeficiency virus syndrome (AIDS). Patients with AIDS are usually affected by HIV-associated encephalitis (HIVE) with viral replication limited to cells of monocyte origin. To examine the molecular mechanisms underlying HIVE-induced dementia, the GSE4755 Affymetrix data were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the samples from AIDS patients with and without apparent features of HIVE-induced dementia were identified. In addition, protein–protein interaction networks were constructed by mapping DEGs into protein–protein interaction data to identify the pathways that these DEGs are involved in. The results revealed that the expression of 1,528 DEGs is mainly involved in the immune response, regulation of cell proliferation, cellular response to inflammation, signal transduction, and viral replication cycle. Heat-shock protein alpha, class A member 1 (HSP90AA1), and fibronectin 1 were detected as hub nodes with degree values >130. In conclusion, the results indicate that HSP90A and fibronectin 1 play important roles in HIVE pathogenesis.
Retroviral vectors are potent tools for gene delivery and various biomedical applications. To accomplish a gene transfer task successfully, retroviral vectors must effectively transduce diverse cell cultures at different phases of a cell cycle. However, very promising retroviral vectors based on the foamy viral (FV) backbone lack the capacity to efficiently transduce quiescent cells. It is hypothesized that this phenomenon might be explained as the inability of foamy viruses to form a pre-integration complex (PIC) with nuclear import activity in growth-arrested cells, which is the characteristic for lentiviruses (HIV-1). In this process, the HIV-1 central polypurine tract (cPPT) serves as a primer for plus-strand synthesis to produce a “flap” element and is believed to be crucial for the subsequent double-stranded cDNA formation of all retroviral RNA genomes. In this study, the effects of the lentiviral cPPT element on the FV transduction potential in dividing and growth-arrested (G1/S phase) adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial (A549) cells are investigated by experimental and theoretical methods. The results indicated that the HIV-1 cPPT element in a foamy viral vector background will lead to a significant reduction of the FV transduction and viral titre in growth-arrested cells due to the absence of PICs with nuclear import activity.
Cyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic oligosaccharide structures that could be used for theranostic applications in personalized medicine. These compounds have been widely utilized not only for enhancing drug solubility, stability, and bioavailability but also for controlled and targeted delivery of small molecules. These compounds can be complexed with various biomolecules, such as peptides or proteins, via host-guest interactions. CDs are amphiphilic compounds with water-hating holes and water-absorbing surfaces. Architectures of CDs allow the drawing and preparation of CD-based polymers (CDbPs) with optimal pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. These polymers can be cloaked with protein corona consisting of adsorbed plasma or extracellular proteins to improve nanoparticle biodistribution and half-life. Besides, CDs have become famous in applications ranging from biomedicine to environmental sciences. In this review, we emphasize ongoing research in biomedical fields using CD-based centered, pendant, and terminated polymers and their interactions with protein corona for theranostic applications. Overall, a perusal of information concerning this novel approach in biomedicine will help to implement this methodology based on host-guest interaction to improve therapeutic and diagnostic strategies.
Propofol is a widely used general anesthetic in clinical practice, but its use is limited by its water-insoluble nature and associated pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic limitations. Therefore, researchers have been searching for alternative formulations to lipid emulsion to address the remaining side effects. In this study, novel formulations for propofol and its sodium salt Na-propofolat were designed and tested using the amphiphilic cyclodextrin (CD) derivative hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD). The study found that spectroscopic and calorimetric measurements suggested complex formation between propofol/Na-propofolate and HPβCD, which was confirmed by the absence of an evaporation peak and different glass transition temperatures. Moreover, the formulated compounds showed no cytotoxicity and genotoxicity compared to the reference. The molecular modeling simulations based on molecular docking predicted a higher affinity for propofol/HPβCD than for Na-propofolate/HPβCD, as the former complex was more stable. This finding was further confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography. In conclusion, the CD-based formulations of propofol and its sodium salt may be a promising option and a plausible alternative to conventional lipid emulsions.
In this study, the ability of a multiwalled carbon nanotube functionalized with fluorescein isothiocyanate (MWCNT-FITC) was assessed as a prospective central nervous system-targeting drug delivery system to permeate the blood-brain barrier. The results indicated that the MWCNT-FITC conjugate is able to penetrate microvascular cerebral endothelial monolayers; its concentrations in the Transwell® system were fully equilibrated after 48 hours. Cell viability test, together with phase-contrast and fluorescence microscopies, did not detect any signs of MWCNT-FITC toxicity on the cerebral endothelial cells. These microscopic techniques also revealed presumably the intracellular localization of fluorescent MWCNT-FITCs apart from their massive nonfluorescent accumulation on the cellular surface due to nanotube lipophilic properties. In addition, the 1,000 ps molecular dynamics simulation in vacuo discovered the phenomenon of carbon nanotube aggregation driven by van der Waals forces via MWCN-TFITC rapid dissociation as an intermediate phase.