Prevention of neurotoxicity and cognitive impairment induced by zinc nanoparticles by oral administration of saffron extract.

The accumulation of relatively higher dose of zinc oxide nanoparticles in brain was reported to produce neurotoxicity. Indeed, nanoparticles have a high ability to penetrate biological membranes and be uptaken by cells, which may cause cell disorders and physiological dysfunctions. The aim of the current study was to evaluate, whether oral administration of saffron extract, in rats, can protect from neurotoxicity and behavioural disturbances induced by chronic administration of ZnO-NPs. Daily oral administration of ZnO-NPs was performed for 21 consecutive days to induce oxidative stress-like situation. Then after the saffron extract was concomitantly administrated in several rat groups to overcome the nanotoxicological effect induced by ZnO-NPs. In the frontal cortex, the hippocampus and the cerebellum, ZnO-NPs induced a H2 O2 -oxydative stress-like effect reflected in reduced enzymatic activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione S-transferase, and decreased acetylcholinesterase activity. In addition, increased levels of proinflammatory interleukins IL-6 and IL-1-⍺ occurred in the hippocampus, reveal the existence of brain inflammation. The concomitant administration of saffron extract to animals exposed to ZnO-NPs prevented the enhanced anxiety-related to the behaviour in the elevated plus-maze test, the open field test and preserved spatial learning abilities in the Morris water maze. Moreover, animals exposed to ZnO-NPs and saffron showed abnormal activity of several antioxidant enzymes as well as acetylcholinesterase activity, an effect that may underly the preserved anxiety-like behaviour and spatial learning abilities observed in these animals. Saffron extract has a potential beneficial therapeutic effect: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective agent.

Potentiometric sensing of histamine using immobilized enzymes on layered double hydroxides.

Diamine oxydase and peroxidase have been co-immobilized onto layered double hydroxide (LDH) thin films for the development of real-time histamine biosensors. The chosen LDH materials are Mg2AlCO3, Mg4FeCl and Ca2AlCl. Prepared bi-enzymatic hybrid nanomaterials are capable of detecting histamine through the electrochemical oxidation of H2O2 and are used as the sensitive membrane for potentiometric microelectrode. Histamine biosensors developed in this work have fast response of less than 20 s, are sensitive and selective, with a large dynamic range of 10-8-10-3 M and a limit of detection of less than 10-8 M. The detection limit of the developed bi-enzymatic biosensors is relatively higher than those corresponding with gas and liquid chromatography, which are still considered as the reference methods. Finally, the reproducibility, the specificity and the storage stability of the biosensors were studied.

Biochemical and biomolecular effects induced by a static magnetic field in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Evidence for oxidative stress.

Exposure to static magnetic fields (SMF) can cause changes in microorganism metabolism altering key subcellular functions. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether an applied SMF could induce biological effects on growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and then to probe biochemical and bio-molecular responses. We found a decrease in growth and viability under SMF (250mT) after 6h with a significant decrease in colony forming units followed by an increase between 6 h and 9 h. Moreover, measurements of antioxidant enzyme activities (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase) demonstrated a particular profile suggesting oxidative stress. For instance, SOD and catalase activities increased in magnetized cultures after 9 h compared with unexposed samples. However, SMF exposure caused a decrease in glutathione peroxidase activity. Finally, SMF caused an increase in MDA levels as well as the content of protein carbonyl groups after 6 and 9 h of exposure.

Possible domestication of uranium oxides using biological assistance reduction.

Uranium has been defined in material research engineering field as one of the most energetic radioactive elements in the entire Mendeleev periodic table. The manipulation of uranium needs higher theories and sophisticated apparatus even in nuclear energy extraction or in many other chemical applications. Above the nuclear exploitation level, the chemical conventional approaches used, require a higher temperature and pressure to control the destination of ionic form. However, it has been discovered later that at biological scale, the manipulation of this actinide is possible under friendly conditions. The review summarizes the relevant properties of uranium element and a brief characterization of nanoparticles, based on some structural techniques. These techniques reveal the common link between chemical approaches and biological assistance in nanoparticles. Also, those biological entities have been able to get it after reduction. Uranium is known for its ability to destroy ductile materials. So, if biological cell can really reduce uranium, then how does it work?

Insight of ZnS nanoparticles contribution in different biological uses.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the contributions of the some quantum dots in different biological uses in order to valorizes such nanomaterials for further applications. METHODS: Zinc sulfide ZnS nanoparticles were synthesized in aqueous medium at pH constant, the obtained nanoparticles has been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier Transform Infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopies. Zinc sulfide nanoparticles were screened for their antibacterial and antifungal profiling and tested for antioxidant activity using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl radical (OH) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenging activity, ferric reducing power (FRP) assay and ferrous ion chelating (FIC) methods. RESULTS: The sizes of the crystallites were estimated to 3 nm using the Debye-Scherrer formula based on the XRD data. The shape was identified to be quasi-spherical with agglomerated particles. The obtained ZnS quantum dots present an antioxidant activity especially in oxido-reduction power, and can be used for species profiling either for bacteria and fungus. CONCLUSION: It was found that ZnS nanoparticles showed relatively higher antioxidant activities and antibacterial with an antifungal behavior which proves that this nanomaterials can react at the interface with the life entities.

Contribution of silver nanoparticles to extend Salmonella typhimurium growth under various respiration regimes.

Living cells interact with different forms of metal; the resulted biochemical alteration depends on the dose. Over an average dose in ionic form, metals interact with respiration processes at various levels, and it induces oxidative stress by shifting the whole oxydoreduction equilibrium. To correct the toxicity, cell develops different ways to cancel the effect of the exceeded charges, and it reduces the ion to get a more stable form. In the case of nanoparticles, the reactivity of surface has been enhanced that can alter the biological mechanisms; the cell may develop different strategies to minimize this reactivity. The current study is focused on the pursuing of cell behavior regarding the presence of nanoparticles and their associated metals. Nanoparticles have been synthesized using bio-reducing agents and then were structurally characterized using X-ray diffraction, UV-Vis, and infra-red spectroscopy. The oxydoreduction flexibility of the post-synthesis modified nanoparticles was tested in vitro. Interactions with cells were done using Salmonella under various respiration conditions. The final results show the possible correction of oxidative stress effects and the recuperation of respiration.