Revolutionizing medicine: Molecularly imprinted polymers as precision tools in cancer diagnosis and antibiotic detection.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are pivotal in medicine, mimicking biological receptors with enhanced specificity and affinity. Comprising templates, functional monomers, and cross-linkers, MIPs form stable three-dimensional polymer networks. Synthetic templates like glycan and aptamers improve efficiency, guiding the molecular imprinting process. Cross-linking determines MIPs' morphology and mechanical stability, with printable hydrogels offering biocompatibility and customizable properties, mimicking native extracellular matrix (ECM) microenvironments. Their versatility finds applications in tissue engineering, soft robotics, regenerative medicine, and wastewater treatment. In cancer research, MIPs excel in both detection and therapy. MIP-based detection systems exhibit superior sensitivity and selectivity for cancer biomarkers. They target nucleic acids, proteins, and exosomes, providing stability, sensitivity, and adaptability. In therapy, MIPs offer solutions to challenges like multidrug resistance, excelling in drug delivery, photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, and biological activity regulation. In microbiology, MIPs serve as adsorbents in solid-phase extraction (SPE), efficiently separating and enriching antibiotics during sample preparation. They contribute to bacterial identification, selectively capturing specific strains or species. MIPs aid in detecting antibiotic residues using fluorescent nanostructures and developing sensors for sulfadiazine detection in food samples. In summary, MIPs play a pivotal role in advancing medical technologies with enhanced sensitivity, selectivity, and versatility. Applications range from biomarker detection to innovative cancer therapies, making MIPs indispensable for the accurate determination and monitoring of diverse biological and environmental samples.

Simultaneous sensing of carbidopa and levodopa by a novel strategy based on dual-emission ratiometric assay of modified carbon dots.

Rapid control of the content of Parkinson's drugs in biological fluids and pharmaceutical formulations is of great importance because changes in the concentration of these drugs affect their bioavailability and biopharmaceutical properties. Therefore, we presented a simple and convenient method for the ratiometric detection of carbidopa and levodopa for carbon dots (CDs) dual-fluorescent emission. Dual-emission CDs were prepared from chitosan using a microwave method, following which the surface was chemically modified with terephthalaldehyde. CDs had two strong well-separated peaks at 445 and 510 nm. The relative measurement of carbidopa and levodopa was based on the static extinction of CDs at 445 nm and increase at 510 nm, respectively. The linear range for carbidopa measurement was 2.5-300 nM, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 2.1 nM, and a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 1.68%. Further, the linear range for levodopa measurement was equal to 3.0-400 nM, with LOD and RSD% of 2.8 nM and 3.5%, respectively. Also, selectivity of ratiometric sensor in the presence of interferences was investigated, which showed that the recovery of carbidopa and levodopa in serum and urine samples has changed between 96.80% and 116.24% with RSD% 0.11-0.77. CDs also provided good results for the determination of carbidopa and levodopa in real samples, and had high selectivity in the presence of possible interferences.

Evaluation of the relationship of cytokines concentrations tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, and C-reactive protein in obese diabetics and obese non-diabetics: A comparative study.

Obesity has been linked to a low-grade inflammatory process in the white adipose tissue. Our study aims to detect the relationship between cytokine levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in obese diabetics, compared to obese non-diabetics, Iraqi individuals. Ninety Iraqi adults, 45 type 2 diabetic and 45 non-diabetic obese, were selected as controls. Serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6, CRP, homeostatic model assessment for homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), body fat, and body mass index (BMI) were measured. The concentration of TNF-α, IL-6, and CRP were significantly greater in the obese diabetics, compared to the obese non-diabetics. BMI was significantly positively correlated with the concentration of TNF-α, IL-6, and CRP in the two groups. At the same time, HOMA-IR was non-significantly positively associated with them in obese diabetics. In contrast, the correlation was significantly positive between HOMA-IR with TNF-a, IL-6, and CRP in the obese non-diabetics group. Obese diabetics have more inflammation than obese non-diabetics as evidenced by the former's higher levels of TNF-α and IL-6. Obesity-related imbalances disrupt metabolic processes and increase CRP, TNF-, and IL-6 levels. Therefore, IR is promoted by the increase of cytokines.

A promising dual-drug targeted delivery system in cancer therapy: nanocomplexes of folate-apoferritin-conjugated cationic solid lipid nanoparticles.

Various nano-sized protein and lipid complexes are being investigated as drug delivery systems. The encapsulation of more than one drug in a single nanocomplex carrier could enhance the therapeutic potency and afford synergistic therapeutic effects. In this study, we developed a novel protein-lipid nanocomplex as a controlled drug delivery system for two important cancer drugs, doxorubicin (DOX) and mitoxantrone (MTO). Apoferritin (AFr) functionalized with folic acid (FA) was used to encapsulate DOX to create the targeted protein nanocomplexes (TPNs). The second drug, MTO, was loaded into the cationic solid lipid nanoparticles (cSLN) to form the liposomal drug nanocomplex particles (MTO-cSLNs). Two complexes were then assembled by tight coupling through ionic interactions to obtain the final drug delivery system, the dual-targeted protein-lipid nanocomplexes (DTPLNs). UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy were used for structural characterization of TPNs and DTPLNs. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used for comprehensive analysis of the final DTPLNs. We confirmed that the DTPLNs display desired time-dependent and pH-dependent drug release behaviors. We also demonstrated the improved anti-cancer efficacy of DOX and MTO in their encapsulated DTPLNs as compared to their free forms. Our results provide promising prospects for the application of the DTPLNs as efficient drug delivery systems.

Redox-Sensitive and Hyaluronic Acid-Functionalized Nanoparticles for Improving Breast Cancer Treatment by Cytoplasmic 17α-Methyltestosterone Delivery.

Novel reduction-responsive hyaluronic acid-chitosan-lipoic acid nanoparticles (HACSLA-NPs) were designed and synthesized for effective treatment of breast cancer by targeting Cluster of Differentiation 44 (CD44)-overexpressing cells and reduction-triggered 17α-Methyltestosterone (MT) release for systemic delivery. The effectiveness of these nanoparticles was investigated by different assays, including release rate, 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-Yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide (MTT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), caspase-3 activity, Rhodamine 123 (RH-123), and Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). In vitro experiments revealed that Methyltestosterone/Hyaluronic acid-chitosan-lipoic acid nanoparticles (MT/HACSLA-NPs) illustrated a sustained drug release in the absence of glutathione (GSH), while the presence of GSH led to fast MT release. HACSLA-NPs also showed high cellular internalization via CD44 receptors, quick drug release inside the cells, and amended cytotoxicity against positive CD44 BT-20 breast cancer cell line as opposed to negative CD44, Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) cell line. These findings supported that these novel reduction-responsive NPs can be promising candidates for efficient targeted delivery of therapeutics in cancer therapy.

Folic acid receptor-targeted solid lipid nanoparticles to enhance cytotoxicity of letrozole through induction of caspase-3 dependent-apoptosis for breast cancer treatment.

Chemotherapy using cytotoxic agents, such as letrozole (LTZ), is one of the most effective treatments for hormone-dependent breast cancer. Nevertheless, nonspecific targeting of the drug constructs several remarkable systemic toxicities. In this study, we synthesized solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) by solvent emulsification evaporation method as LTZ carriers. Nanoparticles were also modified with a cancer cell-targeting ligand, folic acid (FA), and then characterized. Cell membrane damage and cell viability were investigated by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and 3-(4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays, respectively. Caspase-3 activity and TUNEL assays were performed to verify induced apoptosis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) exhibited uniform and spherical morphology of the SLNs-LTZ and FA-SLNs-LTZ. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed LTZ was dispersed as amorphous in the SLNs. The cell culture results revealed that FA-SLNs-LTZ was significantly more cytotoxic than SLNs-LTZ and free drug against MCF-7 cancer cells in vitro, with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 81 ± 0.89 nM, but both nanoformulations had negligible cytotoxicity toward MCF-10A normal cells and they showed promising biocompatibility. Taken together, these findings indicated the evidence of apoptosis as a mechanism of cell death. This study suggests the potential of FA-SLNs-LTZ for inducing apoptosis in a target-specific manner with minimal systemic side effects.

A Comprehensive Physicochemical, In Vitro and Molecular Characterization of Letrozole Incorporated Chitosan-Lipid Nanocomplex.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to show a new mesomicroscopic insight into Letrozole (LTZ) loaded nanocomplexes and their ex vivo characteristics as a drug delivery system. METHODS: The LTZ loaded hybrid chitosan-based carrier was fabricated using a modified ionic crosslinking technique and characterized in more detail. To understand the mechanism of LTZ action encapsulated in the hybrid polymer-lipid carrier, all-atom molecular dynamics simulations were also used. RESULTS: The physicochemical properties of the carrier demonstrated the uniform morphology, but different drug loading ratios. In vitro cytotoxic activity of the optimized carrier demonstrated IC50 of 67.85 ± 0.55 nM against breast cancer cell line. The ex vivo study showed the positive effect of nanocomplex on LTZ permeability 7-10 fold greater than the free drug. The molecular dynamic study also confirmed the prsence of hydrophobic peak of lipids at a distance of 5 Å from the center of mass of LTZ which proved drug entrapment in the core of nanocomplex. CONCLUSIONS: The hybrid nanoparticle increased the cytotoxicity and tissue permeability of LTZ for oral delivery. This study also confirmed the atomic mesostructures and interaction of LTZ in the core of hybrid polymer-lipid nanoparticles.

A novel sensitive laccase biosensor using gold nanoparticles and poly L-arginine to detect catechol in natural water.

In this study, the simple, green, and fast layer-by-layer modification of the glassy carbon electrode was mainly performed by electrodeposition of gold nanoparticles and then, poly-l-arginine, and finally, laccase was covalently bonded to poly-l-arginine using glutaraldehyde. This type of fabrication is used for the first time for catechol detection, which provides a bioelectrocatalytic cycle for electron transport in the presence of laccase that results in sensitive and fast detection of catechol. The scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and electrochemical studies were performed to confirm successful immobilization of the enzyme. The biosensor response was linear in a wide range of catechol trace concentrations, 24.90-274.00 nM, with the detection limit of 18.00 nM. Values of Km , α, n, and Ks for the immobilized enzyme were calculated to be 1.25 × 10-2  µM, 0.56, 3.19, and 0.28 Sec-1 , respectively. It was examined in real sample successfully confirming it is capable of measuring catechol in natural water.

Voltammetric immunosensor for E-cadherin promoter DNA methylation using a Fe3O4-citric acid nanocomposite and a screen-printed carbon electrode modified with poly(vinyl alcohol) and reduced graphene oxide.

Silencing of tumor suppressor genes (E-cadherin) by promoter DNA methylation may lead to the development of invasive phenotypes in epithelial tissues. The authors describe an electrochemical nanobiosensor for early detection and screening of circulating methylated DNA as a biomarker for cancers. First, the antibody against 5-methylcytosine was physically immobilized onto modified with reduced graphene oxide and polyvinylalcohol. In the next step, methylated target DNA in samples was hybridized with ssDNA probe conjugated to Fe3O4-citric acid nanocomposites and placed on the modified electrode. Then, the hexacyanoferrate redox system was added and electron transfer recorded. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed that the modification process was well accomplished. Quantitative measurement of E-cadherin DNA promoter methylation was performed using differential pulse voltammetry. The electrochemical analysis achieved in the presence and absence of nonmethylated DNA mixed with samples indicated the high specificity and selectivity in methylation analysis using this system. With the linear range of concentration from 1 × 10-4 ng.mL-1 to 20 ng.mL-1 and the detection limit of 9 × 10-5 ng.mL-1, this method represents a promising approach for analysis of other biomarkers. Graphical abstract A label free electrochemical nanobiosensor was constructed for detection of methylated circulating cell-free DNA using screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) modified with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and polyvinylalcohol (PVA).

A novel intracellular pH-responsive formulation for FTY720 based on PEGylated graphene oxide nano-sheets.

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to investigate a novel pH-responsive nanocarrier based on modified nano graphene oxide (nGO) to promote the acid-triggered intracellular release of a poorly soluble drug, FTY720. METHODS: To synthesize a drug conjugated to modified nGO, first the polyethylene glycol (PEG) was conjugated to nGO, then the produced PEG-nGO was functionalized with the anticancer drug, FTY720, through amide bonding. It was characterized by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the atomic force microscopy (AFM), the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and the UV-vis spectroscopy. In vitro drug release of the FTY720-conjugated PEG-nGO was evaluated at pH 7.4 and 4.6 PBS at 37 °C. Furthermore, the antineoplastic action of unloaded and drug-loaded carrier against the human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MCF7 was explored using MTT and BrdU assays. RESULTS: Characterization methods indicated successful drug deposition on the surface of nGO. In vitro, drug release results revealed a significantly faster release of FTY720 from PEG-nGO at acidic pH, compared with physiological pH. The proliferation assays proved that the unloaded nGO had no significant cytotoxicity against MCF7 cells, while free FTY720- and FTY720-loaded PEG-nGO had an approximately equal cytotoxic effect on the MCF7 cells. It was found that the extended release characteristic of FTY720 was well fitted to Korsmeyer-Peppas model and the release profile of FTY720 from PEG-nGO is diffusion controlled. CONCLUSION: PEGylated GO can act as a pH-responsive drug carrier to improve the efficacy of anticancer drug delivery.

Folate Conjugated Hybrid Nanocarrier for Targeted Letrozole Delivery in Breast Cancer Treatment.

PURPOSE: Letrozole as a steroidal anticancer drug with hydrophobic nature is usually administrated by oral route for patient treatment and the injectable formulation for this drug has not still been reported. In this study, a new letrozole incorporated folate-conjugated polymer - lipid hybrid nanoparticles - is introduced for cancer treatment. METHODS: Nanoparticles were fabricated via modified oil in water ionic gelation method using optimization parameters and then were coupled to folic acid using carbodiimide activation. The physicochemical characterization in vitro drug release, cytotoxicity, and then ex vivo study of obtained carrier was investigated. RESULTS: Both thermal and crystallography studies proved the amorphous loading of drug in the nanocarrier. The cytotoxicity investigation with an average IC50 value of 79 ± 2.40 nM proved the efficiency of the coupled folic acid carrier for the intracellular uptake of letrozole on the breast cancer line. Ex vivo, the study proved the positive effect of the letrozole entrapment on the drug bioavailability. CONCLUSIONS: The obtained targeted nanocarrier could overcome the limitations associated with the LTZ as a potent non-steroidal drug. Both the entrapment and therapeutic efficiency of letrozole in the amphiphilic carrier were increased using the lipid nanoparticles and the surface modification, respectively.

Apoferritin-templated biosynthesis of manganese nanoparticles and investigation of direct electron transfer of MnNPs-HsAFr at modified glassy carbon electrode.

Manganese nanoparticles (MnNPs) were created within horse spleen apoferritin (HsAFr) cavity nanotemplates. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the particle size to be 6 nm. Intrinsic fluorescence data showed that the mineralization acted as a quencher of the HsAFr fluorescence, and extrinsic fluorescence data revealed that the hydrophobic binding site at the surface of HsAFr was not changed. Finally, the MnNP-HsAFr was immobilized onto multiwalled carbon nanotubes entrapped into chitosan (CS) matrices by through sequential 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide-N-hydroxysuccinimide and glutaraldehyde coupling. The MnNPs-HsAFr immobilized on CNT-CS/GC electrode was characterized by cyclic voltammetry. This charge transfer coefficient (α) and the exchange current (i0 ) of MnNPs-HsAFr immobilized on modified electrode in 0.1 M phosphate solution (pH 7.5) were found to be 0.57 and 0.48 µA, respectively.

Hydrophobic amino acids grafted onto chitosan: a novel amphiphilic chitosan nanocarrier for hydrophobic drugs.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to develop a novel biocompatible amphiphilic drug delivery for hydrophobic drugs, chitosan (CS) was grafted to a series of hydrophobic amino acids including l-alanine (A), l-proline (P), and l-tryptophan (W) by carbodiimide mediated coupling reaction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Chemical characteristics of the modified polymers were determined and confirmed by FT-IR, 1H NMR, and UV-vis spectroscopy and the degree of substitution was quantified by elemental analysis. The modified polymers were used to form amphiphilic chitosan nanocarriers (ACNs) by the conventional self-assembly method using ultrasound technique. The morphology and the size of ACNs were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Dynamic light scattering (DLS). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The sizes of spherical ACNs analyzed by SEM were obviously smaller than those of determined by DLS. The ACNs effectively surrounded the hydrophobic model drug, letrozole (LTZ), and demonstrated different encapsulation efficiencies (EE), loading capacities (LC), and controlled drug release profiles. The characteristics of ACNs and the mechanism of drug encapsulation were confirmed by molecular modeling method. The modeling of the structures of LTZ, profiles of A, P, and W grafted onto CS and the wrapping process around LTZ was performed by quantum mechanics (QM) methods. There was a good agreement between the experimental and theoretical results. The cell viability was also evaluated in two cell lines compared with free drug by MTT assay. CONCLUSION: The hydrophobic portion effects on ACNs' characteristics and the proper selection of amino acid demonstrate a promising potential for drug delivery vector.

An electrochemical biosensor based on cobalt nanoparticles synthesized in iron storage protein molecules to determine ascorbic acid.

The electrochemical detection of ascorbic acid (AA) was investigated using a cobalt(III)-ferritin immobilized on a self-assembled monolayer modified gold electrode in phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.5). The modified electrode showed excellent electrochemical activity for oxidation of AA. The response to AA on the modified electrode was examined using cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry techniques. The resulting biosensor showed a linear response to AA in a concentration range from 6.25×10-6 to 2.31×10-5 M with sensitivity of 86,437 µAM-1 and detection limit of 4.65 × 10-6 M based on a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. Electrochemical parameters including the charge transfer coefficient (α) and the apparent heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (ks ) for AA were found to be 0.52 and 1.054 Sec-1 , respectively. It has been shown that, using this modified electrode, AA can be determined with high sensitivity, low detection limit, and high selectivity.

Strategies for optimizing DNA hybridization on surfaces.

Specific and predictable hybridization of the polynucleotide sequences to their complementary counterparts plays a fundamental role in the rational design of new nucleic acid nanodevices. Generally, nucleic acid hybridization can be performed using two major strategies, namely hybridization of DNA or RNA targets to surface-tethered oligonucleotide probes (solid-phase hybridization) and hybridization of the target nucleic acids to randomly distributed probes in solution (solution-phase hybridization). Investigations into thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of these two strategies showed that hybridization on surfaces is less favorable than that of the same sequence in solution. Indeed, the efficiency of DNA hybridization on surfaces suffers from three constraints: (1) electrostatic repulsion between DNA strands on the surface, (2) steric hindrance between tethered DNA probes, and (3) nonspecific adsorption of the attached oligonucleotides to the solid surface. During recent years, several strategies have been developed to overcome the problems associated with DNA hybridization on surfaces. Optimizing the probe surface density, application of a linker between the solid surface and the DNA-recognizing sequence, optimizing the pH of DNA hybridization solutions, application of thiol reagents, and incorporation of a polyadenine block into the terminal end of the recognizing sequence are among the most important strategies for enhancing DNA hybridization on surfaces.

Interaction of two new mixed ligand copper(II) complexes with DNA probed by thermodynamic and spectroscopic studies.

The DNA binding behavior of [Cu(4,7-dmp)(phen-dione)Cl]Cl (1) and [Cu(2,9-dmp)(phen-dione)Cl]Cl (2) where dmp and phen-dion stand for dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline and 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dion, respectively, was studied with a series of techniques including Viscometry, UV-Vis absorption, circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy. Cytotoxicity effect was also investigated. Thermodynamic parameters, enthalpy and entropy changes were calculated according to Van't Hoff equation, which indicated that both reactions are predominantly enthalpically driven. However, these two complexes show different behavior in fluorescence, circular dichroism and viscometry methods which indicate the Cu(II) complexes interact with calf-thymus DNA by different mode of binding. These have further been verified by competition studies using Hoechst as a distinct groove binder. All these results indicate that these two complexes (1) and (2) interact with CT-DNA via groove binding and partially intercalative mode, respectively and the binding affinity of the complex 1 is higher than that of complex 2. Finally, our findings suggest that the type of ligands and structure of complexes have marked effect on the binding affinity of complexes involving CT-DNA. Also, these new complexes showed excellent antitumor activity against human T lymphocyte carcinoma-Jurkat cell line.

Study on the interaction of a copper(II) complex containing the artificial sweetener aspartame with human serum albumin.

A copper(II) complex containing aspartame (APM) as ligand, Cu(APM)2Cl2·2H2O, was synthesized and characterized. In vitro binding interaction of this complex with human serum albumin (HSA) was studied at physiological pH. Binding studies of this complex with HSA are useful for understanding the Cu(APM)2Cl2·2H2O-HSA interaction mechanism and providing guidance for the application and design of new and more efficient artificial sweeteners drive. The interaction was investigated by spectrophotometric, spectrofluorometric, competition experiment and circular dichroism. Hyperchromicity observed in UV absorption band of Cu(APM)2Cl2·2H2O. A strong fluorescence quenching reaction of HSA to Cu(APM)2Cl2·2H2O was observed and the binding constant (Kf) and corresponding numbers of binding sites (n) were calculated at different temperatures. Thermodynamic parameters, enthalpy change (∆H) and entropy change (∆S) were calculated to be -458.67 kJ mol(-1) and -1,339 J mol(-1 )K(-1) respectively. According to the van't Hoff equation, the reaction is predominantly enthalpically driven. In conformity with experimental results, we suggest that Cu(APM)2Cl2·2H2O interacts with HSA. In comparison with previous study, it is found that the Cu(II) complex binds stronger than aspartame.

Geno- and cytotoxicity of propyl gallate food additive.

Synthetic phenolic food additives, such as propyl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate (propyl galate; PG), have been used as an antioxidant in the food industry to prevent oils from spoiling. Their toxicity is one of the challengeable issues resulting from the widespread usage of them in food-related industrials. In this study, we investigated the anticell proliferation effects of PG on A549 lung cancer cells. The result showed that PG dose and time dependently decreased the growth of A549 cells with an half-maximal inhibitory concentration of approximately 1 × 10(-3) and 5 × 10(-4)M of PG at 48 and 72 hours, respectively. In addition, DNA strand breaks have been observed through the comet assay technique. Also, morphology of 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)-stained cells showed an obvious fragmentation in the chromatin and DNA rings within the nucleus of PG-treated cells, and, finally, flow cytometry analyses of the cells confirmed DAPI staining assay and determined early and late apoptosis in treated cells.

Molecular interaction of antiviral drug penciclovir with DNA and HSA insights from experimental and docking studies.

One approach to accelerate the availability of new cancer drugs is to test drugs approved for other conditions as anticancer agents. During recent decades, penciclovir (PNV) has been frequently utilized as a potent antiviral drug, in particular against infections caused by herpes viruses. Many antivirals interact with DNA and change their expression level, so determining the binding mode is of great importance. In our laboratory, we have focused our attention to design improved drugs that target cellular DNA, to understand the mechanism of action at the molecular level, and also to investigate the effect of antiviral drugs as anticancer agents. The results of ct-DNA-PNV interactions at physiological pH using fluorescence spectroscopy, UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, and molecular modeling reveal this drug binds well to ct-DNA through groove binding. The circular dichroism measurements displayed that PNV caused a slight change in the DNA structure which affirmed that the binding of PNV with the DNA occurs through the groove mode. Besides, multi-spectroscopic and molecular docking were used to evaluate how PNV interacts with human serum albumin under physiological conditions. The findings of fluorescence quenching suggested that static quenching was involved in the spontaneous development of HSA-PNV complex through hydrophobic force. The docking simulation results validated the findings of spectroscopic techniques.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Designing of a new transdermal antibiotic delivery polymeric membrane modified by functionalized SBA-15 mesoporous filler.

A new drug delivery system using an asymmetric polyethersulfone (PES) membrane modified by SBA-15 and glutamine-modified SBA-15 (SBA-Q) was prepared in this study by the aim of azithromycin delivery enhancement in both in vitro and ex vivo experiments. The research focused on optimizing membrane performance by adjusting critical parameters including drug concentration, membrane thickness, modifier percentage, polymer percentage, and pore maker percentage. To characterize the fabricated membranes, various techniques were employed, including scanning electron microscopy, water contact angle, and tensile strength assessments. Following optimization, membrane composition of 17% PES, 2% polyvinylpyrrolidone, 1% SBA-15, and 0.5% SBA-Q emerged as the most effective. The optimized membranes demonstrated a substantial increase in drug release (906 mg/L) compared to the unmodified membrane (440 mg/L). The unique membrane structure, with a dense top layer facilitating sustained drug release and a porous sub-layer acting as a drug reservoir, contributed to this improvement. Biocompatibility assessments, antibacterial activity analysis, blood compatibility tests, and post-diffusion tissue integrity evaluations confirmed the promising biocompatibility of the optimized membranes. Moreover, long-term performance evaluations involving ten repeated usages underscored the reusability of the optimized membrane, highlighting its potential for sustained and reliable drug delivery applications.