Methods for preliminary determination of pemetrexed in macromolecular drug-carrier systems

Pemetrexed (PMX) is an antifolate drug utilized in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. For studies of potential macromolecular carriers for PMX, fast and precise methods were developed to determine the bound and free drug contained in investigated conjugate preparations. The analysis of the total amount of PMX in conjugates was based on absorption spectrophotometry. The linearity was found in the range of 4.697–46.97 µmol L–1 PMX The limit of quantitation was 1.070 µmol L–1. The method for the analysis of unbound PMX was based on size-exclusion chromatography and detection at 225 nm. This method shows linear range of 2.230–223.0 µmol L–1. LOQ was 0.539 µmol L–1. The proposed methods can be used both for the characterization of the polysaccharide based conjugates of PMX and for the determination of conjugate drug release profiles

The effect of bacteriophages T4 and HAP1 on in vitro melanoma migration

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The antibacterial activity of bacteriophages has been described rather well. However, knowledge about the direct interactions of bacteriophages with mammalian organisms and their other, i.e. non-antibacterial, activities in mammalian systems is quite scarce. It must be emphasised that bacteriophages are natural parasites of bacteria, which in turn are parasites or symbionts of mammals (including humans). Bacteriophages are constantly present in mammalian bodies and the environment in great amounts. On the other hand, the perspective of the possible use of bacteriophage preparations for antibacterial therapies in cancer patients generates a substantial need to investigate the effects of phages on cancer processes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In these studies the migration of human and mouse melanoma on fibronectin was inhibited by purified T4 and HAP1 bacteriophage preparations. The migration of human melanoma was also inhibited by the HAP1 phage preparation on matrigel. No response of either melanoma cell line to lipopolysaccharide was observed. Therefore the effect of the phage preparations cannot be attributed to lipopolysaccharide. No differences in the effects of T4 and HAP1 on melanoma migration were observed.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We believe that these observations are of importance for any further attempts to use bacteriophage preparations in antibacterial treatment. The risk of antibiotic-resistant hospital infections strongly affects cancer patients and these results suggest the possibility of beneficial phage treatment. We also believe that they will contribute to the general understanding of bacteriophage biology, as bacteriophages, extremely ubiquitous entities, are in permanent contact with human organisms.</p

Removal of endotoxins from bacteriophage preparations by extraction with organic solvents.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS, endotoxin, pyrogen) constitutes a very troubling contaminant of crude phage lysates produced in Gram-negative bacteria. Toxicity of LPS depends on the strong innate immunity response including the cytokines. Therefore, its removal is important for bacteriophage applications. In this paper, we present a procedure for extractive removal of endotoxin from bacteriophage preparations with water immiscible solvents (1-octanol or 1-butanol). During extraction most of the phage lytic activity is retained in the aqueous phase, while endotoxin accumulates in the organic solvent. The levels of endotoxin (expressed as endotoxin units, EU) in the aqueous bacteriophage-containing fraction determined by limulus amebocyte lysate or EndoLISA assay were exceptionally low. While the initial endotoxin levels in the crude phage lysates ranged between 10(3) and 10(5) EU/ml the average level after organic extraction remaining in the aqueous fraction was 5.3 EU/ml. These values when related to phage titers decreased from 10(3)-10(5) EU/10(9) PFU (plaque forming units) down to an average of 2.8 EU/10(9) PFU. The purification procedure is scalable, efficient and applicable to all the bacteriophages tested: T4, HAP1 (E. coli) and F8 (P. aeruginosa)

Outline of purification protocol.

<p>Outline of purification protocol.</p

Evaluation of high temperature glycation of proteins and peptides by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

Recently Boratyński & Roy (Glycoconjugate J., 1998, 15, 131) described a fast and convenient procedure for the synthesis of glycoconjugates. In the present study we used ESI-MS and circular dichroism as tools to analyze non-enzymatic glycation prod- ucts of proteins and peptides. We discuss influence of reaction conditions on the rate of glycation of lysozyme. We analyze for the first time collision induced dissociation spectra of the obtained peptide conjugates