Investigating the in vitro toxicity of silica oxide nanoparticles on differentiated neuronal cells (PC12)

Background and aims: Silica oxide nanoparticles (SiO2-NPs) have attracted a great interest in biotechnology and medicinal fields. It has been documented SiO2-NPs can induce cytotoxicity in normal cells. However, until now, the cytotoxicity of SiO2-NPs against nervous system cells did not examine. Methods: In this in vitro study, the activities of caspase-8 and 6 were analyzed in the PC12 cells treated with different concentrations of silica oxide nanoparticles, and was assessed by Elisa plate reader. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, and by One-way ANOVA and Student t-test. Results: The results showed that the caspase-8 and 6 activities increased in a concentration dependent manner. Indeed, the activity of caspase-8 and 6 was induced after exposure to 1-100 µM of SiO2-NPs. However, the SiO2-NPs showed only slight toxicity in the concentration of 0.1 µM (P<0.05). Conclusion: A mitochondrial-dependent pathway activated by caspase-8 and 6 mediated by SiO2-NPs may be involved in apoptosis induced by NPs, and therefore, cell cytotoxicity plays a role in PC12 cells

A health concern regarding the protein corona, aggregation and disaggregation

Nanoparticle (NP)-protein complexes exhibit the correct identity of NP in biological media. Therefore, protein-NP interactions should be closely explored to understand and to modulate the nature of NPs in medical implementations. This review focuses mainly on the physicochemical parameters such as dimension, surface chemistry, the morphology of NPs and influence of medium pH on the formation of protein corona and conformational changes of adsorbed proteins by different kinds of methods. Also, the impact of protein corona on the colloidal stability of NPs is discussed. Uncontrolled protein attachment on NPs may bring unwanted impacts such as protein denaturation and aggregation. In contrast, controlled protein adsorption by optimal concentration, size, pH and surface modification of NPs may result in potential implementation of NPs as therapeutic agents especially for disaggregation of amyloid fibrils. Also, the effect of NPs-protein corona on reducing the cytotoxicity and clinical implications such as drug delivery, cancer therapy, imaging and diagnosis will be discussed. Validated correlative physicochemical parameters for NP-protein corona formation frequently derived from protein corona fingerprints of NPs which are more valid than the parameters obtained only on the base of NP features. This review may provide useful information regarding the potency as well as the adverse effects of NPs to predict their behavior in the in vivo experiments.Comment: 40 pages, 20 figure

Characterization of Poosti Cheese, a Traditional Raw Sheep Cheese during Ripening: Physicochemical, Microbial and Micro-structural Aspects

Background and Objectives: This study is the first research on the physiochemical characteristics, microbial population and microstructure of Poosti cheese over 90-days of ripening. The main difference between Poosti cheese and other types of traditional cheese is the skin, which is used for its storage. Materials and Methods: Physicochemical characteristics including moisture, salt, pH, acidity, fat, and rate of water-soluble nitrogen to total nitrogen were measured during the ripening. Total population of mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria, Escherichia coli, Coliform, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and moulds were determined during the aging. Micro-structural properties of Poosti cheese were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Three-dimensional (3D) images, binarised micrographs and surface plot were obtained by analyzing the two-dimensional (2D) SEM micrographs by Image J software. Results: The results showed that the moisture content, pH and fat percentage were decreased during the aging; however, salt, acidity, and ratio of water-soluble nitrogen to total nitrogen were increased during this time. Besides, the total count of bacteria was decreased during the aging. Finally, the SEM images indicated that the density of casein network, the number and depth of pores, and also roughness of the structure were increased during the ripening. Conclusions: According to this study, physicochemical characteristics of Poosti cheese were changed during the aging (salt and fat were increased, while pH and moisture were decreased) as a result of ripening in the skin and high microbial population of raw milk. The microstructure of Poosti cheese was changed during the ripening due to water and salt movement, and the fermentative activity of microbial population. Keywords: Traditional cheese, Physicochemical properties, Microbial propertie

Investigation on the Protein Degradation, Free Fatty Acid Content and Area Fraction of Poosti Cheese, Iranian Traditional Cheese Ripened in Skin

Background and Objectives: In this study, the proteolysis and lipolysis of Poosti cheese produced from raw sheep milk in mountainous eastern regions of Iran were investigated during 90 days of ripening. Materials and Methods: Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for proteolysis (SDS-PAGE) and gas chromatography (GC) for free fatty acids (FFAs) were applied to investigate the intensity of lipid degradation. To evaluate the Poosti cheese microstructural changes, the area fraction parameter of the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs was also calculated by the Image J software. Results: The most alteration in protein profile was occurred in the first month of aging for high activity of the proteolytic microorganisms in this period. The amount of free fatty acids was depended on their length due to the variety of involved mechanisms. In addition, the microstructural parameter was considerably affected by the aging as a consequence of the effect of salt on the activity of raw milk and skin micro flora. Conclusions: The decline in proteolysis rate during the last stage of aging could be correlated with the inhibitory effects of salt on the engaged microorganisms, and increase in the pore fraction of the microstructure during the first month of Poosti cheese aging could be due to casein rearrangement and gas release by the fermentative activity of microorganisms. Keywords: Proteolysis, Lipolysis, Poosti cheese, Raw sheep milk

Common variant of 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase may increase risk of coronary artery disease in the Iranian population

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most prevalent form of cardiovascular disease that is caused by the formation of plaque in the arteries walls. Both genetic and environmental factors play an important role in the development of CAD. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the association of 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T gene polymorphism with CAD in an Iranian population. Subjects and methods: In this case/control study, sequence specific primer-polymerase chain reaction (SSP-PCR) method was used for genotyping of 310 patients with CAD and 367 healthy controls. Results: Frequency of C/T genotype was significantly higher in the patients group than the control group (P = .03, OR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.04–2.47). Based on the assumption that T is a risk allele, dominant model compares C/C genotypes to C/T + T/T genotypes. A significant association was observed in MTHFR C677T when the effect of the polymorphism was considered under a dominant genetic model (OR = 1.59; 95% CI = 1.03–2.46; P = .02). Evaluating genotype frequencies in 4 different ethnic groups (Fars, Turkmen, Sistani, and others) demonstrated significant statistical association of C/T genotype in Fars sub-groups (OR = 1.8; 95% CI = 1.11–3.06; P = .01) but this association is not observed in other populations. Significant association of C/T (P = .01, OR: 2.21, 95% CI: 1.15–4.4) genotype was found in women, but this association was not observed in men. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that C/T genotype in MTHFR C677T position is a causative factor, especially in women, and might be associated with susceptibility to CAD in the Iranian population

Rapid diagnostics of coronavirus disease 2019 in early stages using nanobiosensors: Challenges and opportunities

The rapid outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) around the world is a tragic and shocking event that demonstrates the unpreparedness of humans to develop quick diagnostic platforms for novel infectious diseases. In fact, statistical reports of diagnostic tools show that their accuracy, specificity and sensitivity in the detection of COVID hampered by some challenges that can be eliminated by using nanoparticles (NPs). In this study, we aimed to present an overview on the most important ways to diagnose different kinds of viruses followed by the introduction of nanobiosensors. Afterward, some methods of COVID-19 detection such as imaging, laboratory and kit-based diagnostic tests are surveyed. Furthermore, nucleic acids/protein- and immunoglobulin (Ig)-based nanobiosensors for the COVID-19 detection infection are reviewed. Finally, current challenges and future perspective for the development of diagnostic or monitoring technologies in the control of COVID-19 are discussed to persuade the scientists in advancing their technologies beyond imagination. In conclusion, it can be deduced that as rapid COVID-19 detection infection can play a vital role in disease control and treatment, this review may be of great help for controlling the COVID-19 outbreak by providing some necessary information for the development of portable, accurate, selectable and simple nanobiosensors

Diagnostic and drug release systems based on microneedle arrays in breast cancer therapy

Microneedle arrays have recently received much attention as cancer detection and treatment platforms, because invasive injections and detection of the biopsy are not needed, and drug metabolism by the liver, as well as adverse effects of systemic drug administration, are diminished. Microneedles have been used for diagnosis, vaccination, and in targeted drug delivery of breast cancer. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in diagnosis and targeted drug delivery for breast cancer treatment, using microneedle arrays to deliver active molecules through the skin. The results not only suggest that health and well-being of patients are improved, but also that microneedle arrays can deliver anticancer compounds in a relatively noninvasive manner, based on body weight, breast tumor size, and circulation time of the drug. Moreover, microneedles could allow simultaneous loading of multiple drugs and enable controlled release, thus effectively optimizing or preventing drug-drug interactions. This review is designed to encourage the use of microneedles for diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, by describing general properties of microneedles, materials used for construction, mechanism of action, and principal benefits. Ongoing challenges and future perspectives for the application of microneedle array systems in breast cancer detection and treatment are highlighted

A review of the berberine natural polysaccharide nanostructures as potential anticancer and antibacterial agents

Despite the promising medicinal properties, berberine (BBR), due to its relatively poor solubility in plasma, low bio-stability and limited bioavailability is not used broadly in clinical stages. Due to these drawbacks, drug delivery systems (DDSs) based on nanoscale natural polysaccharides, are applied to address these concerns. Natural polymers are biodegradable, non-immunogenic, biocompatible, and non-toxic agents that are capable of trapping large amounts of hydrophobic compounds in relatively small volumes. The use of nanoscale natural polysaccharide improves the stability and pharmacokinetics of the small molecules and, consequently, increases the therapeutic effects and reduces the side effects of the small molecules. Therefore, this paper presents an overview of the different methods used for increasing the BBR solubility and bioavailability. Afterwards, the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic of BBR nanostructures were discussed followed by the introduction of natural polysaccharides of plant (cyclodextrines, glucomannan), the shells of crustaceans (chitosan), and the cell wall of brown marine algae (alginate)-based origins used to improve the dissolution rate of poorly soluble BBR and their anticancer and antibacterial properties. Finally, the anticancer and antibacterial mechanisms of free BBR and BBR nanostructures were surveyed. In conclusion, this review may pave the way for providing some useful data in the development of BBR-based platforms for clinical applications