^{155}Gd isomer shifts : the case study : GdT_{2}Si_{2}

The experimentally obtained ^{155}Gd Mössbauer effect results in isomer shifts for GdT_{2}Si_{2} compounds (where T are transition metals for the 3d, 4d and 5d series) are analysed in terms of charge-transfer effects and s, d redistribution by means of the extended Miedema and van der Woude model. The comparison between the theoretically predicted and measured values is discussed. Although these theoretical predictions of isomer shifts are in reasonable agreement with those found in the experiment, nevertheless they do not follow the experimental dependence on T metal acquired for each nd-series

Interactions of alkylphosphocholines with model membranes : the Langmuir monolayer study

Alkylphosphocholines (APCs) belong to a class of synthetic antitumor lipids, which are new-generation anticancer agents. In contrast to traditional antitumor drugs, they do not attack the cell nucleus but, rather, the cellular membrane; however, their mechanism of action is not fully understood. This work compared the interactions of selected APCs [namely, hexadecylphosphocholine (miltefosine), octadecylphosphocholine and erucylphosphocholine] with the most important membrane lipids [cholesterol, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC)] and examined their influence on a model membrane of tumor and normal cells. As a simple model of membranes, Langmuir monolayers prepared by mixing cholesterol either with a saturated phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), for a normal cell membrane, or with an unsaturated one (POPC), for a tumor cell membrane, have been applied. The APC–lipid interactions, based on experimental surface pressure (π) versus mean molecular area (A) isotherms, were analyzed qualitatively (with mean molecular area values) as well as quantitatively (with the \Delta G^{exc} function). Strong attractive interactions were observed for mixtures of APCs with cholesterol, contrary to the investigated phosphatidylcholines, for which the interactions were found to be weak with a tendency to separation of film components. In ternary monolayers it has been found that the investigated model systems (cholesterol/DPPC/APC vs cholesterol/POPC/APC) differ significantly as regards the interactions between film-forming molecules. The results demonstrate stronger interactions between the components of cholesterol/POPC/APC monolayers compared to cholesterol/POPC film, mimicking tumor cell membranes. In contrast, the interactions in cholesterol/DPPC/APC films were found to be weaker than those in the cholesterol/DPPC system, serving as a model of healthy cell membranes, thus proving that the incorporation of APCs is, from a thermodynamic point of view, unfavorable for binary cholesterol/DPPC monolayers. It can be concluded that the composition of healthy cell membranes is a natural barrier preventing the incorporation of APCs into normal cells

Interactions between antitumor alkylphosphocholines and membrane sphingolipids in Langmuir monolayers

Alkylphosphocholines (APCs) are new generation, highly selective antineoplastic drugs, whose mechanism of action is not fully understood. It is known that in contrast to traditional chemotherapeutics, APCs do not induce cell death by apoptosis or necrosis as a result of DNA damage, but target cellular membranes and affect their biophysical properties. However, it is still unknown which membrane component attracts APC molecules selectively to cancer cells. In order to get insight into this issue, systematic investigations on the interactions between APCs and particular membrane components are highly required. Such experiments can be performed with the Langmuir monolayer technique, serving as a biomembrane model. Because of overexpression of gangliosides in tumor progression and the ability of APCs to insert into membrane rafts, two sphingolipids, i.e. sphingomyelin (SM) and ganglioside GM1 have been examined as potential membrane targets. In this respect, their interactions with three alkylphosphocholines, differing in their hydrophobic part: hexadecylphosphocholine (HePC), octadecylphosphocholine (OcPC) and erucylphosphocholine (ErPC) have been studied and the following systems have been analysed: SM(or GM1)/HePC, SM(or GM1)/OcPC and SM(or GM1)/ErPC. It was found that all the investigated APCs show strong affinity to ganglioside in contrast to sphingomyelin. Differences in interaction of APCs with both investigated sphingolipids were studied based on experimental surface pressure ( \pi ) versus mean molecular area (A) isotherms, and analyzed qualitatively (with mean molecular area values) as well as quantitatively (with \Delta G^{exc} function). The obtained results have also been analysed taking into consideration geometry of interacting molecules. Our results suggest that gangliosides may be molecular targets for APCs, attracting them to tumor cells. Although the interactions with sphingomyelin were found to be unfavourable, further studies on more complex system, containing APCs mixed with sphingomyelin and cholesterol, are required to better understand the role of lipid rafts in the selectivity of APCs

Langmuir monolayer characteristics of erucylphosphocholine : a novel anti-tumor drug

Erucylphosphocholine, an alkylphosphocholine anticancer drug, was employed for Langmuir monolayer characterization and liquid crystalline studies. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements together with texture observation with polarizing microscope revealed the presence of nematic phase. Film forming properties of erucylphosphocholine at the air/water interface were thoroughly investigated by means of surface pressure–area ( º –A) and electric surface potential–area ( ¢ V – A ) isotherms. The influence of such factors as subphase temper- ature, ionic strength, speed of compression, number of molecules spread at the surface on the characteristics of the º – A isotherms was investigated. Erucylphosphocholine was found to form very stable Langmuir monolayers, which are almost not influenced by experimental conditions. The liquid character of its monolayers was confirmed with both compressibility modulus values and homogeneous Brewster angle microscopy images

Bulk and local properties of intermetallic GdAgSn compound

The results of magnetic susceptibility as well as electric resistivity measurements complemented with ^{155}Gd Mössbauer spectroscopy investigations carried out within wide temperature range for GdAgSn compound are discussed

Affinity of alkylphosphocholines to biological membrane of prostate cancer : studies in natural and model systems

The effectiveness of two alkylphosphocholines (APCs), hexadecylphosphocholine (miltefosine) and erucylphosphocholine to combat prostate cancer has been studied in vitro with artificial cancerous membrane, modelled with the Langmuir monolayer technique, and on cell line (Du-145). Studies performed with the Langmuir method indicate that both the investigated drugs have the affinity to the monolayer mimicking prostate cancer membrane (composed of cholesterol:POPC = 0.428) and the drug-membrane interactions are stronger for erucylphosphocholine as compared to hexadecylphosphocholine. Moreover, both studied drugs were found to fluidize the model membrane, which may lead to apoptosis. Indeed, biological studies confirmed that in Du-145 cell line both investigated alkylphosphocholines cause cell death primarily by apoptosis while necrotic cells constitute only a small percentage of APC-treated cells

Analysis of heat capacity and Mössbauer data for LuZnSn_{2} compound

New analysis of heat capacity data is presented for LuZnSn_[2} compound that takes into account anharmonic effects together with the existence of Einstein modes. ^{119m} Mössbauer spectroscopy was used to monitor the hyperfine parameters at the two crystallographically inequivalent Sn sites in the studied compound. The problem of non-unique mathematical resonance spectrum description and the problem how to choose physically meaningful set of hyperfine parameters will be thoroughly discussed. Measured quadrupole interaction constants by ^{199m} Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy give estimations for V_{zz} component of electric field gradient tensor at both Sn sites in LuZnSn_{2}

Mössbauer and heat capacity studies of ErZnSn_{2}

Heat capacity results obtained for the intermetallic compound ErZnSn_{2} were re-analysed to also consider, apart from the classical Debye model, the anharmonicity of the crystal lattice and the proper set of Einstein modes. The 119mSn Mössbauer technique was applied to derive the hyperfine interaction parameters characteristic of the two inequivalent crystallographic Sn sites in the compound studied. Quadrupole interaction constants, as measured by 119mSn Mössbauer spectroscopy, allowed for estimations of Vzz components of the electric field gradient tensor that exist at both Sn sites in the discussed compound