Bovine serum albumin with glycated carboxyl groups shows membrane-perturbing activities.

The aim of the present study aimed to investigate whether glycated bovine serum albumin (BSA) showed novel activities on the lipid-water interface. Mannosylated BSA (Man-BSA) was prepared by modification of the carboxyl groups with p-aminophenyl α-d-mannopyranoside. In contrast to BSA, Man-BSA notably induced membrane permeability of egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (EYPC)/egg yolk sphingomyelin (EYSM)/cholesterol (Chol) and EYPC/EYSM vesicles. Noticeably, Man-BSA induced the fusion of EYPC/EYSM/Chol vesicles, but not of EYPC/EYSM vesicles. Although BSA and Man-BSA showed similar binding affinity for lipid vesicles, the lipid-bound conformation of Man-BSA was distinct from that of BSA. Moreover, Man-BSA adopted distinct structure upon binding with the EYPC/EYSM/Chol and EYPC/EYSM vesicles. Man-BSA could induce the fusion of EYPC/EYSM/Chol vesicles with K562 and MCF-7 cells, while Man-BSA greatly induced the leakage of Chol-depleted K562 and MCF-7 cells. The modified BSA prepared by conjugating carboxyl groups with p-aminophenyl α-d-glucopyranoside also showed membrane-perturbing activities. Collectively, our data indicate that conjugation of carboxyl groups with monosaccharide generates functional BSA with membrane-perturbing activities on the lipid-water interface.

Effect of octa(aminophenyl) polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane functionalized graphene oxide on the mechanical and dielectric properties of polyimide composites.

An effective method is proposed to prepare octa(aminophenyl) silsesquioxane (OAPS) functionalized graphene oxide (GO) reinforced polyimide (PI) composites with a low dielectric constant and ultrastrong mechanical properties. The amine-functionalized surface of OAPS-GO is a versatile starting platform for in situ polymerization, which promotes the uniform dispersion of OAPS-GO in the PI matrix. Compared with GO/PI composites, the strong interfacial interaction between OAPS-GO and the PI matrix through covalent bonds facilitates a load transfer from the PI matrix to the OAPS-GO. The OAPS-GO/PI composite film with 3.0 wt % OAPS-GO exhibited an 11.2-fold increase in tensile strength, and a 10.4-fold enhancement in tensile modulus compared with neat PI. The dielectric constant (D(k)) decreased with the increasing content of 2D porous OAPS-GO, and a D(k) value of 1.9 was achieved.

Effects of multiwalled carbon nanotubes functionalization on the morphology and mechanical and thermal properties of carbon fiber/vinyl ester composites.

Multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/carbon fiber (CF)/vinyl ester (VE) laminate composites have been fabricated in this study. Pristine MWCNTs were treated with acid solution, which formed numerous oxygen-containing functional groups onto their surface, resulting in COOH-MWCNTs. Thereafter, acrylic functional groups were grafted onto the COOH-MWCNTs to generate acryl-MWCNTs. Three types of MWCNTs (pristine MWCNTs, COOH-MWCNTs, and acryl-MWCNTs) were used to reinforce the CF/VE-based composites. The dispersion of MWCNTs in the VE matrix and the interfacial interaction between MWCNTs and the VE matrix were investigated. Thereafter, the individual reinforcement efficiencies of these MWCNTs are compared. The flexural strength of the MWCNT/CF/VE composite with 1.0 phr acryl-MWCNTs content is 29.8% greater than that of neat CF/VE composites, and the flexural modulus of the MWCNT/CF/VE composite is 9.9% higher than that of neat CF/VE composites. Compared with neat CF/VE composites, 1.0 phr acryl-MWCNT/CF/VE composites exhibit an approximately 19.9 °C increase in glass transition temperature (Tg). The coefficients of thermal expansion significantly decreased from 47.2 ppm/°C of the neat CF/VE composites to 35.6 ppm/°C of the acryl-MWCNTs/CF/VE composites with 1 phr acryl-MWCNT content. This study provides a method for developing acryl-MWCNT/CF/VE composites with good dispersion of MWCNTs in VE matrix and strong interfacial interaction between the MWCNTs and VE matrix for enhancing the stress transfer from VE matrix to CF reinforcement.

Fusogenicity of Naja naja atra cardiotoxin-like basic protein on sphingomyelin vesicles containing oxidized phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol.

This study investigated the effect of oxidized phosphatidylcholine (oxPC) and cholesterol (Chol) on Naja naja atra cardiotoxin-like basic protein (CLBP)-induced fusion and leakage in sphingomyelin (SM) vesicles. Compared with those on PC/SM/Chol vesicles, CLBP showed a lower activity to induce membrane permeability but a higher fusogenicity on oxPC/SM/Chol vesicles. A reduction in inner-leaflet fusion elucidated that CLBP fusogenicity was not in parallel to its membrane-leakage activity on oxPC/SM/Chol vesicles. The lipid domain formed by Chol and SM supported CLBP fusogenicity on oxPC/SM/Chol vesicles, while oxPC altered the interacted mode of CLBP with oxPC/SM/Chol vesicles as evidenced by Fourier transform infrared spectra analyses and colorimetric phospholipid/polydiacetylene membrane assay. Although CLBP showed similar binding affinity with PC/SM/Chol and oxPC/SM/Chol vesicles, the binding capability of CLBP with PC/SM/Chol and oxPC/SM/Chol vesicles was affected differently by NaCl. This emphasized that CLBP adopted different membrane interaction modes upon binding with PC/SM/Chol and oxPC/SM/Chol vesicles. CLBP induced fusion in vesicles containing oxPC bearing the aldehyde group, and aldehyde scavenger methoxyamine abrogated the CLBP ability to induce oxPC/SM/Chol fusion. Taken together, our data indicate that Chol and oxPC bearing aldehyde group alter the CLBP membrane-binding mode, leading to fusogenicity promotion while reducing the membrane-damaging activity of CLBP.

Effect of molecular chain length on the mechanical and thermal properties of amine-functionalized graphene oxide/polyimide composite films prepared by in situ polymerization.

This study fabricates amine (NH(2))-functionalized graphene oxide (GO)/polyimide(PI) composite films with high performance using in situ polymerization. Linear poly(oxyalkylene)amines with two different molecular weights 400 and 2000 (D400 and D2000) have been grafted onto the GO surfaces, forming two types of NH(2)-functionalized GO (D400-GO/D2000-GO). NH(2)-functionalized GO, especially D400-GO, demonstrated better reinforcing efficiency in mechanical and thermal properties. The observed property enhancement are due to large aspect ratio of GO sheets, the uniform dispersion of the GO within the PI matrix, and strong interfacial adhesion due to the chemical bonding between GO and the polymeric matrix. The Young's modulus of the composite films with 0.3 wt % D400-GO loading is 7.4 times greater than that of neat PI, and tensile strength is 240% higher than that of neat PI. Compared to neat PI, 0.3 wt % D400-GO/PI film exhibits approximately 23.96 °C increase in glass transition temperature (T(g)). The coefficient of thermal expansion below T(g) is significantly decreased from 102.6 µm/°C (neat PI) to 53.81 µm/°C (decreasing 48%) for the D400-GO/PI composites with low D400-GO content (0.1 wt %). This work not only provides a method to develop the GO-based polyimide composites with superior performances but also conceptually provides a chance to modulate the interfacial interaction between GO and the polymer through designing the chain length of grafting molecules on NH(2)-functionalized GO.

The antiapoptotic effects of different doses of ß-carotene in chronic ethanol-fed rats.

BACKGROUND: Ethanol consumption might induce hepatic apoptosis and cause liver damage. The study was to investigate the effects of different doses of ß-carotene supplementation on the antioxidant capacity and hepatic apoptosis in chronic ethanol-fed rats. METHODS: Rats were divided into 6 groups: C (control liquid diet), CLB [control liquid diet with ß-carotene supplementation at 0.52 mg/kg body weight (BW)/day], CHB (control liquid diet with ß-carotene supplementation at 2.6 mg/kg BW/day), E (ethanol liquid diet), ELB (ethanol liquid diet with ß-carotene supplementation at 0.52 mg/kg BW/day), and EHB (ethanol liquid diet with ß-carotene supplementation at 2.6 mg/kg BW/day). After 12 weeks, rats were sacrificed and blood and liver samples were collected for analysis. RESULTS: Lipid peroxidation and hepatic cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) expression had increased, and hepatic Fas ligand, caspase-8, cytochrome c, caspase-9, and -3 expressions had significantly increased in the E group. However, lipid peroxidation and CYP2E1, caspase-9, and -3 expressions were significantly lower and Bcl-xL expression was higher in the ELB group. The hepatic tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α level, lipid peroxidation, and cytochrome c expression were significantly lower and Bcl-2 expression was significantly higher in the EHB group. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that ethanol treatment causes oxidative stress and hepatic apoptosis leading to liver injury, and ß-carotene supplementation (0.52 mg/kg BW/day) can prevent ethanol-induced liver damage by decreasing ethanol-induced oxidative stress and inhibiting apoptosis in the liver.

Dual targeted delivery of doxorubicin to cancer cells using folate-conjugated magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

By combining the advantage of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (MNs), we develop a magnetic dual-targeted nanocarrier for drug delivery. MWCNTs were functionalized with poly(acrylic acid) through free radical polymerization, decorated with MNs, conjugated with a targeting ligand folic acid (FA), for loading of an anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX). The proposed methodology provides dual targeted delivery of the anti-cancer drug to cancer cells under the guidance of a magnetic field and through ligand-receptor interactions. The chemico-physical properties of the nanocarrier were characterized, in addition to its drug loading efficiency and drug releasing characteristics. Doxorubicin could be loaded to MWCNTs with high efficiency via π-π stacking and hydrogen bonding and showed enhanced cytotoxicity toward U87 human glioblastoma cells compared with free DOX. From transmission electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy, we confirmed that DOX-FA-MN-MWCNT could be efficiently taken up by U87 cells with subsequent intracellular release of DOX, followed by transport of DOX into the nucleus with the nanocarrier left in the cytoplasm. These properties make the magnetic nanocarrier a potential candidate for targeted delivery of DOX for cancer treatment.

Self-assembly of graphene onto electrospun polyamide 66 nanofibers as transparent conductive thin films.

A simple method was developed to assemble graphite oxide (GO) densely onto electrospun (ES) polyamide 66 (PA66) nanofibrous membranes, used as a guide for the deposition of graphene nanosheet (GNS) conductive networks for preparing transparent conductive thin film (TCF). The main advantage of this technique by comparison with previous methods is that graphene does not form a uniform coating, but a percolated conductive network, when guided by PA66 nanofiber templates. A low surface coverage of the transparent substrate by GNS resulted in high transmittance. Polyvinylpyrrolidone-stabilized GO (PVP-GO) was prepared as a modifier for improving the adsorption to the nanofibers. The resulting PVP-GO material could adsorb well on PA66 nanofibers due to stronger hydrogen bonds. Hence, a lower sufficient concentration of PVP-GO (0.050 wt%) solution was required than that for GO solution (0.100 wt%) to fabricate a complete conductive path through a possible enriched adsorption process. For TCF applications, a reduction step is essential because as-deposited GO is non-conductive. In this work, we reduced GO to GNS by a combination of chemical reduction and thermal annealing. The TCF optical transmittance also could be improved after thermal annealing at 350 °C above the PA66 melting point. Light scattering by PA66 nanofibers was found as the main cause of reduced transmittance. A fused film, obtained after electrospinning PA66 solution for 120 s, and immersing in 0.050 wt% PVP-GO solution, exhibits a surface resistance of 8.6 × 10³ Ω/square, while maintaining 88% light transmittance.

The effect of extended polymer chains on the properties of transparent multi-walled carbon nanotubes/poly(methyl methacrylate/acrylic acid) film.

Optically transparent and electrically conductive thin films composed of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) reinforced polymethyl methacrylate/acrylic acid (PMMA/AA) were fabricated using a wire coating technique. Poly(acrylic acid) controls the level of MWCNT dispersion in aqueous mixtures and retains the well-dispersed state in the polymer matrix after solidification resulting from extended polymer chains by adjusting the pH value. The exfoliating the MWCNT bundles by extended polymer chains results in the excellent dispersion of MWCNT. It causes a lower surface electrical resistance at the same MWCNT content. The hydrophilic functional groups (-COO( - )NA( + )) also caused a decrease in the crystallization of PMMA and led to an increase in the transmittance.