Hemolytic Activity, Cytotoxicity, and Antimicrobial Effects of Silver Nanoparticles Conjugated with Lincomycin or Cefazolin.

The overuse of antibiotics has led to the emergence of resistant bacteria. A good alternative is silver nanoparticles, which have antibacterial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, including multidrug-resistant strains. Their combination with already known antibiotics has a synergistic effect. In this work, we studied the synthesis of conjugates of silver nanoparticles with two antibiotics, lincomycin and cefazolin. Albumin and glutathione were used as spacer shells with functional groups. The physicochemical properties of the obtained conjugates, their cytotoxicity and synergism of antimicrobial activity were studied. The 50% antimicrobial activity of the obtained samples was shown, which allows them to be recommended for use as topical drug preparations.

Hemolytic Activity, Cytotoxicity, and Antimicrobial Effects of Human Albumin- and Polysorbate-80-Coated Silver Nanoparticles.

In this study, we aimed to develop a technique for colloidal silver nanoparticle (AgNP) modification in order to increase their stability in aqueous suspensions. For this purpose, 40-nm spherical AgNPs were modified by the addition of either human albumin or Tween-80 (Polysorbate-80). After detailed characterization of their physicochemical properties, the hemolytic activity of the nonmodified and modified AgNPs was investigated, as well as their cytotoxicity and antimicrobial effects. Both albumin- and Tween-80-coated AgNPs demonstrated excellent stability in 0.9% sodium chloride solution (>12 months) compared to nonmodified AgNPs, characterized by their rapid precipitation. Hemolytic activity of nonmodified and albumin-coated AgNPs was found to be minimal, while Tween-80-modified AgNPs produced significant hemolysis after 1, 2, and 24 h of incubation. In addition, both native and Tween-80-covered AgNPs showed dose-dependent cytotoxic effects on human adipose-tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells. The albumin-coated AgNPs showed minimal cytotoxicity. The antimicrobial effects of native and albumin-coated AgNPs against S. aureus, K. pneumonia, P. aeruginosa, Corynebacterium spp., and Acinetobacter spp. were statistically significant. We conclude that albumin coating of AgNPs significantly contributes to improve stability, reduce cytotoxicity, and confers potent antimicrobial action.

Time- and Ventricular-Specific Expression Profiles of Genes Encoding Z-Disk Proteins in Pressure Overload Model of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy.

Mechanotransduction is an essential mechanism of transforming external mechanical stimulus to biochemical response. In cardiomyocytes mechanotransduction plays an important role in contraction, stretch sensing and homeostasis regulation. One of the major mechanosensitive area in cardiomyocytes, the Z-disk, consists of numbers of structural and signaling proteins, that may undergo conformational or gene expression changes under pathological stress conditions. In present study we examined a rat model of pressure overload cardiac hypertrophy validated by echocardiographic and histopathological examinations. We revealed, that during hypertrophy progression expression of several genes encoding Z-disk proteins (Actn2, Ldb3, Cmya5, Nebl) is different at early and late points of cardiac remodeling. Moreover, expression patterns of several genes are opposite in myocardium of overloaded left ventricle and hemodynamically unaffected right ventricle, and expression profiles in interventricular septum are more similar to right ventricle. Additionally, we revealed inconsistencies between mRNA and protein level changes of Actn2, one of the major structural Z-disk element. All these findings point out, that investigated Z-disk proteins participate in pathological stress adaptation through undergoing the gene expression changes, and suggest the novel important role of hypertrophic response modulation during different stages of cardiac remodeling.

Study of structural and dynamic characteristics of copper(II) amino acid complexes in solutions by combined EPR and NMR relaxation methods.

Structural features and dynamical behaviour of the copper(ii) bis-complexes with glycine, d-alanine, d-valine, l-serine, l-aspartic acid, l-glutamic acid, l-lysine, l-proline, and sarcosine were studied by combined EPR and NMR relaxation methods. The cis and trans isomers were unambiguously assigned and characterized by EPR data. It was found that addition of a salt background has an influence on the cis-trans isomer equilibrium in favour of the formation of the cis isomer. By comparison of NMRD, DFT computations, and structural data it was shown that only one water molecule is coordinated in the axial position of these complexes. The increased exchange rates of this molecule found for Cu(l-Asp)2(2-), Cu(l-Glu)2(2-), Cu(l-LysH)2(2+), and Cu(l-Pro)2 were attributed to its pushing out by side chain groups of the ligands. By simulation of NMRD profiles an increase of lifetimes of the copper(ii) 2nd coordination sphere water molecules was revealed in the presence of additional carboxylic, alcoholic, or ammonium groups of the ligands, as well as the pyrrolidine ring of proline. The very short lifetimes of the 2nd coordination sphere water molecules (4-13 ps at 298 K) were explained in terms of the Frank-Wen structural model by the existence of cavities which draw in quickly enough water molecules from the 2nd coordination sphere.

Complex formation, chemical exchange, species structure, and stereoselective effects in the copper(II)-L/DL-histidine systems.

The formation of copper(II) complexes with L- and DL-histidine (HisH) has been studied by means of pH-potentiometry and spectrophotometry over a wide range of pH (2-14), ligand-to-metal ratio (1 : 1-15 : 1), and temperature (15-55 °C) in aqueous solutions with 1.0 mol dm(-3) KNO(3) as background. Formation constants and spectral characteristics of 13 complex types were found. Fine stereoselective effects have been detected with preferential coordination of two ligands with identical configuration in Cu(His)(HisH)(+) and opposite configuration in Cu(His)(2). The stereoselective effect for Cu(His)(HisH)(+) is explained by hydrogen bond formation between the carboxyl and imidazolyl groups of neighboring ligands at cis-arrangement of amino groups (3N(eq)-form). The opposite sign of stereoselective effect for Cu(His)(2) is derived from favourable axial coordination of the imidazole group in meso-form with cis-structure (3N(eq)N(ax)-form). A significant tetrahedral distortion was revealed for the first time in the prevalent cis-isomer of the Cu(L-His)(2) 4N(eq)-form. These findings were confirmed by EPR data and DFT computations at the B3LYP/TZVP level. The prevalence of cis-isomers for these complexes has been assigned to the rather strong trans effect of the amino groups. The structures of other detected complexes are briefly discussed on the basis of spectroscopic data. Chemical exchange reactions in the copper(II)-L/DL-hishidine systems have been investigated by the NMR relaxation of water protons. A unique proton exchange reaction with short-term proton dissociation from the coordinated imidazolyl group catalyzed by hydroxide ion was characterised for the first time. The discovered enantioselective effects in the ligand exchange reactions between Cu(His)(2) and HisH or His(-) species were attributed to the associative substitution mechanism.

Deletion in TNNI3 gene is associated with restrictive cardiomyopathy.

In dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies, over ten disease-causing genes have been identified in each entity. In contrast, mutations in only desmin and cardiac troponin T and I (TNNI3) have been shown to cause restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM). We applied a candidate gene approach and identified a novel one nucleotide deletion, resulting in frame shift and predicted formation of a premature stop codon, deletion of part of exon 7 and all exon 8, and truncation of significant C-terminal portion of TNNI3. Western blot analysis showed approximately 50% reduction of total troponin I content in myocardial tissue. The clinical hallmark was a restrictive type of cardiac hemodynamics, and congestive heart failure, leading to the death of the patient at the age of 28.