Transferrin-Decorated Niosomes with Integrated InP/ZnS Quantum Dots and Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles: Dual Targeting and Imaging of Glioma

The development of multifunctional nanoscale systems that can mediate efficient tumor targeting, together with high cellular internalization, is crucial for the diagnosis of glioma. The combination of imaging agents into one platform provides dual imaging and allows further surface modification with targeting ligands for specific glioma detection. Herein, transferrin (Tf)-decorated niosomes with integrated magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONs) and quantum dots (QDs) were formulated (PEGNIO/QDs/MIONs/Tf) for efficient imaging of glioma, supported by magnetic and active targeting. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the complete co-encapsulation of MIONs and QDs in the niosomes. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated enhanced cellular uptake of the niosomal formulation by glioma cells. In vitro imaging studies showed that PEGNIO/QDs/MIONs/Tf produces an obvious negative-contrast enhancement effect on glioma cells by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and also improved fluorescence intensity under fluorescence microscopy. This novel platform represents the first niosome-based system which combines magnetic nanoparticles and QDs, and has application potential in dual-targeted imaging of glioma

Recent results on heavy-ion induced reactions of interest for neutrinoless double beta decay at INFN-LNS

Abstract. The possibility to use a special class of heavy-ion induced direct reactions, such as double charge exchange reactions, is discussed in view of their application to extract information that may be helpful to determinate the nuclear matrix elements entering in the expression of neutrinoless double beta decay halflife. The methodology of the experimental campaign presently running at INFN - Laboratori Nazionali del Sud is reported and the experimental challenges characterizing such activity are describe

Application of Centri-voltammetry to Cytosensors: Cyto-centrivoltammetry

WOS: 000380904100009In this work, a centri-voltammetric cytosensor suitable for the for detection of folate receptor positive cervical cancer (HeLa) cells was developed for the first time. In order to see the effect of centrifugation, developed cytosensor's performance was compared in terms of analytical characteristics values, in the presence and absence of centri-voltammetry. As a result, in the absence of centri-voltammetry, the linear range was found between 75 cells/mL and 10(6) cells/mL with limit of detection (LOD) value as 75 cells/mL and with R.S.D value of 3.5% (for 5.0 x 10(4) HeLa cells/mL (n = 3)). Meanwhile in the presence of centri-voltammetry, the linear range was found between 8.0 cells/mL and 5 x 10(6) cells/mL and LOD value was calculated as 8 cells/mL with R.S.D value of 4.7% for the same concentration. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Synthesis, characterization and biological application of dinuclear Cu(II) complexes of Schiff base ligands of galactochloralose and alpha-chloralose

WOS: 000445543100014Four novel dinuclear Cu(II) complexes (1a-4a) have been prepared from ONO-tridentate chiral Schiff base derivatives of chloralose (1-4). All the new complexes (1a-4a) have been characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The complex 2a was further characterized by X-Ray crystallography. And also, the magnetic susceptibility measurement of this complex (2a, mu(eff) 2.61 BM/dimer) was measured at room temperature. The activities of ONO-tridentate chiral Schiff base derivatives of chloralose (1-4) and their dinuclear Cu(II) complexes (1a-4a) on viability of human cervical cancer cell line (HeLa) were investigated by MIT assay. The obtained results indicated that the Schiff base ligand 1 and its dinuclear Cu(II) complex (1a) have excellent cytotoxic activity. Also, dinuclear Cu(II) complexes of the galactochloralose and alpha-chloralose derivative Schiff base ligands were screened for their in vitro antimicrobial activity against eight bacterial species as well as yeast species Candida albicans ATCC 10231 using disc diffusion method. Complex 4a exhibited promising in vitro antimicrobial activity with inhibition zone diameter from 10 to 22 mm against the tested Gram-positive bacterial strains and yeast C. albicans.Ege UniversityEge University [2014 FEN 071]We would like to Ege University for financial support of this work (2014 FEN 071) and Associate Prof. Dr. Serpil Denizalti for carrying out the magnetic susceptibility measurement

Transferrin-Decorated Niosomes with Integrated InP/ZnS Quantum Dots and Magnetic Iron Oxide NanopArticles: Dual Targeting and Imaging of Glioma

The development of multifunctional nanoscale systems that can mediate efficient tumor targeting, together with high cellular internalization, is crucial for the diagnosis of glioma. The combination of imaging agents into one platform provides dual imaging and allows further surface modification with targeting ligands for specific glioma detection. Herein, transferrin (Tf)-decorated niosomes with integrated magnetic iron oxide nanopArticles (MIONs) and quantum dots (QDs) were formulated (PEGNIO/QDs/MIONs/Tf) for efficient imaging of glioma, supported by magnetic and active targeting. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the complete co-encapsulation of MIONs and QDs in the niosomes. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated enhanced cellular uptake of the niosomal formulation by glioma cells. In vitro imaging studies showed that PEGNIO/QDs/MIONs/Tf produces an obvious negative-contrast enhancement effect on glioma cells by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and also improved fluorescence intensity under fluorescence microscopy. This novel platform represents the first niosome-based system which combines magnetic nanopArticles and QDs, and has application potential in dual-targeted imaging of glioma.This research was partially funded by Niedersachsisches Ministerium fur Wissenschaft und Kultur through the Quantum- and Nano-Metrology (QUANOMET) initiative (ZN3245) within the project NP-1. Moreover, we acknowledge support from the German Research Foundation and the Open Access Publication Funds of Technische Universitat Braunschweig.Niedersachsisches Ministerium fur Wissenschaft und Kultur through the Quantum- and Nano-Metrology (QUANOMET) initiative [ZN3245, NP-1]; German Research Foundation; Open Access Publication Funds of Technische Universitat Braunschwei

One-Pot Photo-Induced Sequential CuAAC and Thiol–Ene Click Strategy for Bioactive Macromolecular Synthesis

Conceptually new one-pot photoinduced sequential click reactions were implemented to yield novel block copolymers with the ability for cell adhesion. Poly­(ε-caprolcatone) possessing clickable functional groups at the chain ends, namely α-alkynyl-ω-alkenyl-poly­(ε-caprolactone) (A-PCL-MA), was prepared by ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone using propargyl alcohol in the presence of stannous octoate at 110 °C followed by esterification with methacrylic acid. Azide-functional poly­(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA-N₃) was prepared independently by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) followed by an azidation process using sodium azide. Finally, A-PCL-MA was reacted with PMMA-N₃ and <i>N</i>-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) in a one-pot process through photoinduced sequential click reactions to furnish desired bioactive block copolymer (PMMA-<i>b</i>-PCL-NAC). A matrix for cell adhesion was then prepared from the yielded block copolymer PMMA-<i>b</i>-PCL-NAC and cell proliferation on the matrix was measured. Cells from the Vero cell line (African green monkey kidney epithelial) were incubated on the matrix, and after 48 h, they showed greater cell proliferation than the commercially available cell culture plates used as comparison