Flow cytometry-based FRET identifies binding intensities in PPAR[gamma]1 protein-protein interactions in living cells

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The significance of lipid peroxidation in cardiovascular disease

Background The metabolic syndrome describes a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors that frequently appear together. Its diagnosis is generally based on several well-recognized indicators in clinical practice, such as abdominal obesity, elevated triglycerides, reduced high-density lipoprotein, raised blood pressure, and elevated fasting plasma glucose. Today, decisive importance must be attached to the metabolic syndrome since it leads to increased morbidity and mortality, and thus to a decreased life expectancy, and to higher direct and indirect healthcare costs. This is also due to the fact that its symptomatology irradiates on many organs of the body, which may thereby be damaged. Methods In the present clinical trial on 11 metabolic syndrome patients treated with Ginkgo biloba (EGb 761, 2 × 120 mg/d) for two months, ellipsometry, fluorescence microscopy, photometric methods, ELISAs and EIAs were applied for biosensor profiling of metabolic syndrome risk, status and treatment outcome. Results A spectrum of more than 20 arteriosclerotic, cytokinic, inflammatory, lipidic, and oxidative stress biomarkers served for a detailed diagnosis and therapy monitoring. After medication, the ratio oxLDL/LDL was reduced by 21.0%, 8-iso-PGF2α 39.8%, MPO 29.6%, IL-6 12.9%, hs-CRP 39.3%, Lp(a) 26.3%, MMP-9 32.9%, insulin 9.4%, HOMA-IR 14.0%, ALP 14.8%, CREA 11.3%, URAC 10.6%, in vitro modeled nanoplaque formation 14.3% and size 23.4%, whereas SOD was augmented by 17.7%, GPx 11.6%, cAMP 43.5%, and cGMP 32.9%. Special focus was concentrated on the significance of lipid peroxidation for cardio-cerebro-vascular diseases. Through multiple correlations between the biomarkers and clinical parameters, their significance for and involvement in several clinical pictures could be elucidated. Conclusion The present clinical observational study was helpful in unraveling this network of biomarker interactions and demonstrated its usefulness for theranostics. For personalized medicine, the selection of the biomarkers is of decisive importance. On the background of a growing obesity among children and adolescents with an increase in prevalence of the metabolic syndrome, diagnosing this syndrome in young subjects may be helpful in identifying a population of risk for increased subclinical arteriosclerosis

Synthesis and characterization of quantum dots designed for biomedical use

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have become promising nanoparticles for a wide variety of biomedical applications. However, the major drawback of QDs is their potential toxicity. Here, we determined possible cytotoxic effects of a set of QDs by systematic photophysical evaluation in vitro as well as in vivo. QDs were synthesized by the hydrothermal aqueous route with sizes in the range of 2.0–3.5 nm. Cytotoxic effects of QDs were studied in the human pancreatic carcinoid cell line BON. Cadmium telluride QDs with or without zinc sulfide shell and coated with 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) were highly cytotoxic even at nanomolar concentrations. Capping with l-glutathione (GSH) or thioglycolic acid (TGA) reduced the cytotoxicity of cadmium telluride QDs and cadmium selenide QDs. Determination of the toxicity of QDs revealed IC50 values in the micromolar range. In vivo studies showed good tolerability of CdSe QDs with ZnS shell and GSH capping. We could demonstrate that QDs with ZnS shell and GSH capping exhibit low toxicity and good tolerability in cell models and living organisms. These QDs appear to be promising candidates for biomedical applications such as drug delivery for enhanced chemotherapy or targeted delivery of light sensitive substances for photodynamic therapy.Original publication is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2014.03.03

Synthesis and characterization of quantum dots designed for biomedical use

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have become promising nanoparticles for a wide variety of biomedical applications. However, the major drawback of QDs is their potential toxicity. Here, we determined possible cytotoxic effects of a set of QDs by systematic photophysical evaluation in vitro as well as in vivo. QDs were synthesized by the hydrothermal aqueous route with sizes in the range of 2.0–3.5 nm. Cytotoxic effects of QDs were studied in the human pancreatic carcinoid cell line BON. Cadmium telluride QDs with or without zinc sulfide shell and coated with 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) were highly cytotoxic even at nanomolar concentrations. Capping with l-glutathione (GSH) or thioglycolic acid (TGA) reduced the cytotoxicity of cadmium telluride QDs and cadmium selenide QDs. Determination of the toxicity of QDs revealed IC50 values in the micromolar range. In vivo studies showed good tolerability of CdSe QDs with ZnS shell and GSH capping. We could demonstrate that QDs with ZnS shell and GSH capping exhibit low toxicity and good tolerability in cell models and living organisms. These QDs appear to be promising candidates for biomedical applications such as drug delivery for enhanced chemotherapy or targeted delivery of light sensitive substances for photodynamic therapy.Original publication is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2014.03.03

Synthesis and characterization of quantum dots designed for biomedical use

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have become promising nanoparticles for a wide variety of biomedical applications. However, the major drawback of QDs is their potential toxicity. Here, we determined possible cytotoxic effects of a set of QDs by systematic photophysical evaluation in vitro as well as in vivo. QDs were synthesized by the hydrothermal aqueous route with sizes in the range of 2.0–3.5 nm. Cytotoxic effects of QDs were studied in the human pancreatic carcinoid cell line BON. Cadmium telluride QDs with or without zinc sulfide shell and coated with 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) were highly cytotoxic even at nanomolar concentrations. Capping with l-glutathione (GSH) or thioglycolic acid (TGA) reduced the cytotoxicity of cadmium telluride QDs and cadmium selenide QDs. Determination of the toxicity of QDs revealed IC50 values in the micromolar range. In vivo studies showed good tolerability of CdSe QDs with ZnS shell and GSH capping. We could demonstrate that QDs with ZnS shell and GSH capping exhibit low toxicity and good tolerability in cell models and living organisms. These QDs appear to be promising candidates for biomedical applications such as drug delivery for enhanced chemotherapy or targeted delivery of light sensitive substances for photodynamic therapy.Original publication is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2014.03.03