Functionalized CD133 antibody coated stent surface simultaneously promotes EPCs adhesion and inhibits smooth muscle cell proliferation-A novel approach to prevent in-stent restenosis.

We report a multistep strategy of biochemical surface modifications that resulted in the synthesis of new, effective and biocompatible intravascular implants coating with immobilized anti-CD133 antibodies, that proved to be the most effective in endothelial progenitor cells capture and reduced smooth muscle cells growth. Biomolecules were immobilized on differently functionalized surfaces. The distribution, nanostructural characteristics and intramolecular interactions of anti-CD133 molecules as well as their ability to bind EPCs was evaluated. We also tempted to build a molecular model of the CD133 protein to study antigen-antibody interactions. CD133 protein is expressed in endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). Absence of preferential interaction site on CD133, but rather a presence of a small binding area, may be the specificity of reconnaissance sequence, thus importantly increasing the probability of CD133 protein binding. After all, regarding our molecular model, we are convinced that specific, and large enough interactions between anti-CD133 coating stent surface and CD133 present on EPCs will reduce risk of restenosis by favoring the endothelial growth. Additionally, the safety study of the vivo performance of modified titania based surface was performed using small animal models. No allergological or toxical local or systemic adverse effects of the developed coatings were noted.

Nanosilica synthesis mediated by Aspergillus parasiticus strain.

Rice husks (RHs) are plant waste materials abundant in phytoliths silica bodies. These were used as starting material for fungal-mediated biotransformation leading to the synthesis of a high-value added product. A strain of Aspergillus parasiticus was capable of transforming the amorphous silica conglomerates into structured nanoparticles (NPs) in the process of RHs biotransformation. Silica NPs were produced extracellularly and their size ranged from 3 to 400 nm depending on the biotransformation conditions and the post-biotransformation supernatant processing. To characterize the NP's structure and dimension, SEM, STEM, EDX and FTIR technics were applied. These demonstrated and confirmed that pyramid (400 nm), cubical (85 nm) and spherical (3 nm and 24 ± 8 nm) forms of silica NPs were obtained.