Nano-Biotechnology
Mehran Alavi; Mahendra Rai
Abstract
Finding efficient therapeutic strategies to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a complicated affair specifically in the therapy of chronic bacterial infections related to hospital-acquired infections. Recently, three major antibacterial systems based on antisense RNA, CRISPR-Cas9, and metal/metal ...
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Finding efficient therapeutic strategies to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a complicated affair specifically in the therapy of chronic bacterial infections related to hospital-acquired infections. Recently, three major antibacterial systems based on antisense RNA, CRISPR-Cas9, and metal/metal oxide nanoparticles particularly silver (Ag) nanoparticles have shown more effective antibacterial activity compared to conventional antibiotics. ROS generation, attachment to the cell membrane, disruption of bacterial envelop, inactivation of electron transport chain, decreasing the local pH, modulation of cell signaling, and denaturation of biological macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids have been found as the main antibacterial functions of Ag nanoparticles. Antisense RNA, a single-stranded RNA, can hybridize with complementary genes in messenger RNA (mRNA) followed by blockage translation of these genes into proteins. Moreover, CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) is a family of viral DNA sequences derived from bacteriophages, which can target and destroy foreign DNA by nuclease activity. There are 2 classes and 6 subtypes (I-VI) of CRISPR-Cas systems, which may be engineered as potential antibacterial agents to target specific sequences. Therefore, here, recent advances and challenges for the antibacterial application of these three therapeutic agents are presented.
Nano-Biotechnology
Mehran Alavi; Mahendra Rai; Fleming Martinez; Danial Kahrizi; Haroon Khan; Irwin Rose Alencar de Menezes; Henrique Douglas Melo Coutinho; José Galberto Martins Costa
Abstract
The applications of nanoparticles in various practical fields, owing to their unique properties compared with bulk materials, have been occupying the minds of scientists for several decades. In this regard, a combination of pharmacology and nanotechnology has contributed to producing newer effective ...
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The applications of nanoparticles in various practical fields, owing to their unique properties compared with bulk materials, have been occupying the minds of scientists for several decades. In this regard, a combination of pharmacology and nanotechnology has contributed to producing newer effective anticancer and antimicrobial agents to inactivate resistant cancer cells and microorganisms, specifically multidrug-resistant ones. The physicochemical properties of nanoparticles based on metalloid, metal, and metal oxides such as selenium, silver, gold, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, copper oxide, platinum, and magnesium oxide, have been well known and referred to as anticancer and antimicrobial agents or carriers. The inactivation and eradication of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria may be mainly resulted from the oxidative damages in the bacterial medium. Overall, metalloid, metal and metal oxide NPs can be functionalized by other antibacterial or anticancer agents and biocompatible stabilizers to increase their efficiency in physiological conditions. However, the undesirable cytotoxicity of these nanoparticles in physiological conditions is the major hindrance to their application in the pharmaceutical industry and therapeutics. Nevertheless, it is expected that these problems will be solved in the near future. Therefore, the main objective of this review is to report an overview of the recent signs of progress in increasing anticancer and antibacterial mechanisms of metal and metal-based nanoparticles.
Cell, Organ and Tissue Culture
Sarhang Hasan Azeez; Sarwar Nawzad Jafar; Zahra Aziziaram; Le Fang; Ahang Hasan Mawlood; Muhammed Furkan Ercisli
Abstract
Recently, stem cells have been considered renewable cell sources in the treatment of diabetes and the development of insulin-producing cells. In this regard, the current study aimed to compare Insulin-producing cells from bone marrow stem cells with injectable insulin in rats with type I diabetes. For ...
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Recently, stem cells have been considered renewable cell sources in the treatment of diabetes and the development of insulin-producing cells. In this regard, the current study aimed to compare Insulin-producing cells from bone marrow stem cells with injectable insulin in rats with type I diabetes. For this purpose, 40 rats were divided into four groups: the control or healthy group, the diabetic control group, the group that received differentiated insulin-producing cells from bone marrow, and the group that received insulin treatment. To differentiate insulin-producing cells from bone marrow, the femoral bone marrow of rats was extracted using the flushing method. Differentiated cells were evaluated using dithizone-specific dye, anti-insulin-proinsulin antibodies, and anti-insulin beta receptors. Also, the expression of the pdx-I gene, as the specific gene of pancreatic cells, was examined by RT-PCR. The results showed that transplantation of insulin-producing cells could significantly increase blood insulin levels in diabetic rats. This increase intensified in the second stage of transplantation when more cells were injected into rats. Concerning decreasing blood sugar levels, differentiated cells were able to reduce blood sugar levels significantly. Even in the first stage of cell injection, in which the rats received a small number of cells, their blood sugar levels were controlled by these cells. As a result, the present study showed that repeated transplants of insulin-producing cells differentiated from bone marrow could decrease blood sugar and increase insulin levels.
Cell, Organ and Tissue Culture
Ismael Bilal; Sijia Xie; Muna S Elburki; Zahra Aziziaram; Sangar Muhammad Ahmed; Salah Tofik Jalal Balaky
Abstract
Glioblastoma is a fatal brain tumor, and the standard treatment for this cancer is the surgical removal of the tumor followed by chemotherapy with temozolomide and radiotherapy. Because chemotherapy has many side effects, the use of compounds extracted from natural herbs, due to fewer side effects, can ...
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Glioblastoma is a fatal brain tumor, and the standard treatment for this cancer is the surgical removal of the tumor followed by chemotherapy with temozolomide and radiotherapy. Because chemotherapy has many side effects, the use of compounds extracted from natural herbs, due to fewer side effects, can be a good alternative or supplement to chemical drugs in cancer treatment. In this study, curcumin (diferuloylmethane), known as the main active ingredient of turmeric, was used to evaluate itscytotoxicity on four human glioblastoma cell lines (U373, U251, D54, and T98G). Among these cell lines, U373 was temozolomide resistance, and T98G was photodynamic treatment resistance. These cell lines were treated with increasing concentrations of diferuloylmethane. Survival percentage was assessed by MTT assay and the trypan blue staining method was used to evaluate the rate of cell death and confirm the results of the MTT assay. The results showed that diferuloylmethane has a cytotoxic effect on U251, D54, and T98G cell lines. This effect was higher in high concentrations of diferuloylmethane on U251 and D54 than on U373. Therefore, according to the results of the current study and further studies, curcumin (diferuloylmethane) can be considered an effective complementary treatment in the treatment of glioblastoma.
Gene Expression Studies
Zahra Aziziaram; Ismael Bilal; Yuan Zhong; Azzadin Kamal Mahmod; Mohammad Reza Roshandel
Abstract
Naproxen is a common analgesic and antipyretic medication that is widely used around the world. This medicine at high doses leads to liver and kidney necrosis in humans and animals. The mechanism of kidney damage, unlike liver damage, is not well understood and is one of the most common causes of emergency ...
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Naproxen is a common analgesic and antipyretic medication that is widely used around the world. This medicine at high doses leads to liver and kidney necrosis in humans and animals. The mechanism of kidney damage, unlike liver damage, is not well understood and is one of the most common causes of emergency department patients. Therefore, in the present study, the protective effect of curcumin, a compound derived from turmeric, was investigated on renal damage caused by naproxen. For this purpose, 25 male Wistar rats were selected and were randomly divided into five groups. Naproxen was dissolved in a 5% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solution and was injected intraperitoneally at 1000 mg/kg of animal weight. Also, curcumin was dissolved in 5% DMSO and was injected within peritoneum at a dose of 200 mg/kg of animal weight into the relevant groups. After 24 hours of injection, rats were bled and plasma urea and creatinine levels were measured. The rate of lipid peroxidation, the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase in the kidney, total plasma antioxidant capacity, and PGC-1α gene expression were measured. The results showed that naproxen significantly increased the levels of biochemical markers of urea and creatinine in plasma and lipid peroxidation in the kidney; also, it decreased the activity of the antioxidants enzymes. The use of curcumin in naproxen-exposed groups significantly reduced the concentrations of urea, creatinine, and lipid peroxidation. Curcumin increased the activity of catalase, superoxide enzymes, and the total antioxidant capacity of plasma. Also, curcumin increased the expression of the PGC-1α gene, which reduces the effects of naproxen. Therefore, according to the current study results, curcumin could significantly reduce the harmful effects of naproxen on the kidneys. However, in future studies, the effect of curcumin should be evaluated on the naproxen mechanism in the treatment of those patients who need naproxen.
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