Nanoscale engineering of hybrid magnetite–carbon nanofibre materials for magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents

Magnetic nanomaterials show significant promise as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We have developed a new highly efficient one-step procedure for the synthesis of magnetically- functionalised hollow carbon nanofibres, where (i) the carbon nanofibres act as both a template and a support for the nucleation and growth of magnetite nanoparticles and (ii) the structural (size, dispersity and morphology) and functional (magnetisation and coercivity) properties of the magnetic nanoparticles formed on nanofibres are strictly controlled by the mass ratio of the magnetite precursor to the nanofibres and the solvent employed during synthesis. We have shown that our magnetite-nanofibre materials are effectively solubilised in water resulting in a stable suspension that has been employed as a ‘‘negative’’ MRI contrast agent with an excellent transverse relaxivity (r2) of (268 13) mM s 1, surpassing current commercial materials and state-of-the-art magnetic nanoscale platforms in performance for MRI contrast at high magnetic fields. The preparation and evaluation of this unique hybrid nanomaterial represents a critical step towards the realisation of a highly efficient ‘‘smart’’ MRI theranostic agent – a material that allows for the combined diagnosis (with MRI), treatment (with magnetic targeting) and follow-up of a disease (with MRI) – currently in high demand for various clinical applications, including stratified nanomedicine

Stop-frame filming and discovery of reactions at the single-molecule level by transmission electron microscopy

We report an approach – named chemTEM – to follow chemical transformations at the single-molecule level with the electron beam of a transmission electron microscope (TEM) applied as both a tuneable source of energy and a sub-Angstrom imaging probe. Deposited on graphene, disk-shaped perchlorocoronene molecules are precluded from intermolecular interactions. This allows monomolecular transformations to be studied at the single-molecule level in real time and reveals chlorine elimination and reactive aryne formation as a key initial stage of multi-step reactions initiated by the 80 keV e-beam. Under the same conditions, perchlorocoronene confined within a nanotube cavity, where the molecules are situated in very close proximity to each other, enables imaging of intermolecular reactions, starting with the Diels-Alder cycloaddition of a generated aryne, followed by rearrangement of the angular adduct to a planar polyaromatic structure and the formation of a perchlorinated zigzag nanoribbon of graphene as the final product. ChemTEM enables the entire process of polycondensation, including the formation of metastable intermediates, to be captured in a one-shot ‘movie’. A molecule with a similar size and shape but with a different chemical composition, octathio[8]circulene, under the same conditions undergoes another type of polycondensation via thiyl biradical generation and subsequent reaction leading to polythiophene nanoribbons with irregular edges incorporating bridging sulphur atoms. Graphene or carbon nanotubes supporting the individual molecules during chemTEM studies ensure that the elastic interactions of the molecules with the e-beam are the dominant forces that initiate and drive the reactions we image. Our ab initio DFT calculations explicitly incorporating the e-beam in the theoretical model correlate with the chemTEM observations and give a mechanism for direct control not only of the type of the reaction but also of the reaction rate. Selection of the appropriate e-beam energy and control of the dose rate in chemTEM enabled imaging of reactions on a timeframe commensurate with TEM image capture rates, revealing atomistic mechanisms of previously unknown processes

Direct reagentless detection of the affinity binding of recombinant His-tagged firefly luciferase with a nickel-modified gold electrode

The direct reagentless electrochemical detection of recombinant firefly luciferase binding with a gold electrode modified with nickel complex of 1,16-di[4-(2,6-dihydroxycarbonyl)pyridyl]-1,16-dioxa-8,9-dithiahexadecane has been carried out.Funding Agencies|Russian Foundation for Basic Research [09-03-00775-a]</p

In Silico Studies on Pharmacokinetics and Neuroprotective Potential of ²⁵Mg²⁺: Releasing Nanocationites - Background and Perspectives

Sharp blood circulation disorders are known for their capability to promote such abundant and hardly treatable pathologies as myocardium infarction and the ischemic brain stroke (“insult”). Noteworthy, the stroke — related brain tissue metabolic damages involve an essential ATP deplete clash along with a suppression of brain specific nucleotide — associated kinases and ATP synthase, both Mg2+ — dependent complex enzyme “machineries”. This itself makes the latter’s a legitimate target for some advanced pharmaceuticals as long as the drug — induced overstimulation of corresponding enzymatic activity is the case. Thus, magnetic isotope effects (MIE) of the nuclear spin possessing paramagnetic 25Mg2+ ions might modulate the brain creatine kinase, alfa-glycerophosphate kinase and pyruvate kinase catalytic activities in a way of a remarkable ATP hyperproduction required to compensate the hypoxia caused acute metabolic breakdown. To realize the Magnesium-25 pharmacological potential, a low-toxic amphiphilic cationite nanoparticles were introduced lately. Particularly, the Magnesium — releasing porphyrin-fullerene nanoadduct (cyclohexyl-C60-porphyrin, PMC16) has been proposed to meet expectations dealing with a targeted delivery of 25Mg2+ towards the brain ischemia surrounding areas. In order to optimize a multi-step [25Mg2+]4PMC16 preclinical trial scenario, the In Silico algorithms are to be developed and analyzed. In this study, these algorithms are in a focus with a special emphasize on a novel combination of slightly modified Gompertzian equation systems and a non-Markov population dynamics concept. This In Silico approach takes into account some literature-available patterns of brain hypoxia pathogenesis, the resulted simulation model could be considered as a promising tool for further research on experimental nanopharmacology of the ischemic stroke

Low-Frequency Dynamic Magnetic Fields Decrease Cellular Uptake of Magnetic Nanoparticles

Magnetic nanoparticles have gained attention as a potential structure for therapy and diagnosing oncological diseases. The key property of the magnetic nanoparticles is the ability to respond to an external magnetic field. It is known that magnetofection causes an increase in the cellular uptake of RNA and DNA in complexes with magnetic nanoparticles in the presence of a permanent magnetic field. However, the influence of a dynamic magnetic field on the internalization of MNPs is not clear. In this work, we propose the idea that applying external low-frequency dynamic magnetic fields may decrease the cellular uptake, such as macrophages and malignant neuroblastoma. Using fluorescence microscopy and atomic emission spectroscopy, we found that oscillating magnetic fields decreased the cellular uptake of magnetic nanoparticles compared to untreated cells by up to 46%. In SH-SY5Y tumor cells and macrophage RAW264.7 cells, the absolute values of Fe per cell differed by 0.10 pg/cell and 0.33 pg/cell between treated and untreated cells, respectively. These results can be applied in the control of the cellular uptake in different areas of biomedicine

Study of the contrasting effectiveness of various tumors types using cubic magnetite nanoparticles

Currently magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the key diagnostics methods of various diseases. Utilizing various contrast agents based on magnetic nanoparticles can improve the diagnostic efficiency and, consequently, the quality of the subsequent treatment. The most promising contrast agents are cubic magnetite nanoparticles, due to their high relaxation rates, as well as biocompatibility and biodegradability.Thereby, the purpose of this work was to evaluate the effectiveness of MRI imaging of tumors by cubic magnetite nanoparticles (CMN).Materials and methods. For this purpose, the synthesis of 15 nm CMN modified with biocompatible copolymer plurlonic F127 was carried out. Synthesized CMN and their water colloids were characterized by a complex of physicochemical methods of analysis. Then, using MRI a study of the effectiveness of contrasting of various tumor types after intravenous administration of CMN aqueous colloids was made. Three models of mouse tumors were used for a comprehensive assessment of obtained results: breast cancer 4T1, colon cancer CT-26 and melanoma B16. MRI studies were performed prior to the administration of the particles, and also after 15 min, 6 hours and 24 hours after injection in T2-weighted regime in two mutually orthogonal projections.Results. The analysis of the obtained results showed that the most effective accumulation of particles was found in the 4T1 (100%) and B16 (57%) models, and in the case of CT-26 model the accumulation efficiency was 50% due to the effect of the permeability of blood vessels