Preparation of poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofibers containing disulfiram-copper complex by electrospinning: a potential delivery system against melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Melanoma poses a significant threat to human health, making the development of a safe and effective treatment a crucial challenge. Disulfiram (DS) is a proven anticancer drug that has shown effectiveness when used in combination with copper (DS-Cu complex). OBJECTIVES: This study focuses on encapsulation of DS-copper complex into nanofiber scaffold from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) (DS-Cu@PVA). In order to increase bioavailability towards melanoma cell lines and decrease its toxicity. METHODS: The scaffold was fabricated through an electrospinning process using an aqueous solution, and subsequently analyzed using ART-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ART-FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). Additionally, cellular cytotoxicity, flow cytometry analysis, and determination of caspase 3 activity were conducted to further characterize the scaffold. RESULTS: The results confirmed that encapsulation of DS-Cu complex into PVA was successful via different characterization. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that the diameter of the nanofibers remained consistent despite the addition of DS-Cu. Additionally, ATR-FTIR confirmed that the incorporation of DS-Cu into PVA did not significantly alter the characteristic peaks of PVA. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity assessment of the DS-Cu@PVA nanofibrous scaffold using human normal skin cells (HFB4) demonstrated its superior biocompatibility compared to DS-Cu-free counterparts. Notably, the presence of DS-Cu maintained its effectiveness in promoting apoptosis by increasing cellular reactive oxygen species, proapoptotic gene expression, and caspase 3 activity, while simultaneously reducing glutathione levels and oncogene expression in human and mouse melanoma cell lines (A375 and B16F10, respectively). Overall, these findings suggest that the addition of DS-Cu to PVA nanofibers enhances their biocompatibility and cytotoxic effects on melanoma cells, making them a promising candidate for biomedical applications. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that the targeted delivery of DS-Cu onto a PVA nanofiber scaffold holds potential approach to enhance the efficacy of DS-Cu in combating melanoma.

Biological activities of fig latex -loaded cellulose acetate/poly(ethylene oxide) nanofiber for potential therapeutics: Anticancer and antioxidant material.

Cancer is a fatal disease, and unfortunately, the anticancer drugs harm normal cells. Plant's extracts are the golden key to solving this issue. In this research, fig latex - from Ficus carica- was encapsulated using cellulose acetate (CA) and poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) polymers via electrospinning method (Fig@CA/PEO). Fig@CA/PEO nanofiber scaffold was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The average fiber diameter was decreased with an increase in latex concentration from 715 nm to 583 nm. FT-IR spectroscopy indicated the presence of fig latex in Fig@CA/PEO nanofibers. Compared to 5-fluorouracil, Fig@CA/PEO nanofiber scaffold considered safe towards normal cells (WI-38). Moreover, the nanofiber scaffold was efficient against colon cancer cells (Caco) and liver cancer cells (HepG2) as it demonstrated IC50 values for cells by 23.97 µg/mL and 23.96 µg/mL, respectively. Besides, the nanofiber scaffold revealed mechanistic variations in apoptotic oncogenes; described by the upregulation of BCL2 and P21, combined by downregulation of p53 and TNF. Moreover, the nanofiber scaffold showed antioxidant activity counting 33.4, 36 and 41 % of DPPH scavenging as the fig latex concentration increased. The results demonstrate that the Fig@CA/PEO nanofiber scaffold is a promising substitute to traditional chemotherapy.

Nanofibers based on zein protein loaded with tungsten oxide for cancer therapy: fabrication, characterization and in vitro evaluation.

Plant proteins have become attractive for biomedical applications such as wound dressing and drug delivery. In this research, nanofibers from pristine zein (plant protein) and zein loaded with tungsten oxide (WO3) were prepared (WO3@zein) using less toxic solvents (ethanol and acetic acid). Morphological and biological properties of the zein nanofiber were determined. Prepared nanofibers were defined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (X-RD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and scanning electron microscopy. The average fiber diameter was unchanged with an increase in WO3 concentration from 0.001 to 0.008%. FT-IR spectroscopy and X-RD indicated the presence of WO3 in WO3@zein nanofibers. In comparison to WO3-free, WO3@zein nanofibers showed higher safety and preserved the anticancer effect of WO3 against human melanoma cell line (A375) melanoma cells compared to WO3-free. Moreover, both WO3-free and WO3@zein caused a fourfold increase in the cellular proliferation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the treated A375 cells compared to untreated cells. ROS elevation led to apoptosis-dependent cell death of A375 cells as evidenced by up-regulating the expression of p53-downstream genes (p21 and Bax) (tumor-suppressor gene) while down-regulating the expression of key oncogenes (BCL2 and cyclin D). In conclusion, the prepared nanofiber represents a promising and safe candidate for anticancer applications.

Nanocomposite fibers based on cellulose acetate loaded with fullerene for cancer therapy: preparation, characterization and in-vitro evaluation.

The current prevalence of cancerous diseases necessitates the exploration of materials that can effectively treat these conditions while minimizing the occurrence of adverse side effects. This study aims to identify materials with the potential to inhibit the metastasis of cancerous diseases within the human body while concurrently serving as therapeutic agents for their treatment. A novel approach was employed to enhance the anti-cancer properties of electrospun cellulose fibers by incorporating fullerene nanoparticles (NPs) into cellulose acetate (CA) fibers, resulting in a composite material called Fullerene@CA. This development aimed at utilizing the anti-cancer properties of fullerenes for potential therapeutic applications. This process has been demonstrated in vitro against various types of cancer, and it was found that Fullerene@CA nanocomposite fibers displayed robust anticancer activity. Cancer cells (Caco-2, MDA-MB 231, and HepG-2 cells) were inhibited by 0.3 and 0.5 mg.g-1 fullerene doses by 58.62-62.87%, 47.86-56.43%, and 48.60-57.73%, respectively. The tested cancer cells shrink and lose their spindle shape due to morphological changes. The investigation of the prepared nanocomposite reveals its impact on various genes, such as BCL2, NF-KB, p53, Bax, and p21, highlighting the therapeutic compounds' effectiveness. The experimental results demonstrated that the incorporation of NPs into CA fibers resulted in a significant improvement in their anti-cancer efficacy. Therefore, it is suggested that these modified fibers could be utilized as a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment and prevention of cancer metastasis.

Fabrication, characterization and in vitro evaluation of disulfiram-loaded cellulose acetate/poly(ethylene oxide) nanofiber scaffold for breast and colon cancer cell lines treatment.

Cancer and microbial infections threaten human health. Currently, chemotherapeutic drugs for cancer lack selectivity between normal and cancer cells, exacerbating this problem. Effective anticancer drug encapsulation is the golden key to solving this issue. Disulfiram (DS), an anticancer drug, has low solubility and selectivity and to tackle this concern, cellulose acetate (CA) and poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) was selected as a matrix to prepare nanofiber containing DS (DS@CA/PEO) via electrospinning technique. DS@CA/PEO nanofiber was characterized by SEM, FTIR, TGA, and X-rd patterns and the results confirmed DS incorporation in CA/PEO nanofiber. DS@CA/PEO nanofiber scaffold showed higher safety than DS-free on human normal cells (Wi-38) with revealing similar anticancer activity of DS-free against colon cancer line (Caco-2) and breast cancer line (MDA-MB 231). This higher selectivity of DS@CA/PEO towards cancer cells than normal cells was associated with maintaining apoptotic activity and aldehyde dehydrogenase-inhibitory potency of DS. The latter efficacy led to eradicating colon and breast cancer stem cells, as evidenced by flow cytometry. Moreover, DS@CA/PEO nanofiber scaffold showed potent antibacterial activity (in vitro) against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. These results investigated that DS@CA/PEO nanofiber scaffold could be a potential dual candidate as a selective anticancer and antimicrobial agent.

Diethyldithiocarbamate/silk fibroin/polyethylene oxide nanofibrous for cancer therapy: Fabrication, characterization and in vitro evaluation.

Cancer has become a serious disease threatening human health. To tackle this issue, developing the existing potent anticancer drugs is critical to reducing the time and cost associated with creating a new drug from scratch. Diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) - an anticancer drug- has received considerable attention due to its selectivity and reactivity. In this study, we prepared a nanofibrous matrix from silk fibroin/polyethylene oxide loaded with diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC@SF/PEO) from an aqueous solution via an electrospinning process. Upon DDC incorporation, the nanofiber's diameter has increased from 450 nm (SF/PEO) to 1202 nm (DDC@SF/PEO) confirming the successful incorporation of DDC. Furthermore, the hydrophobicity of DDC@SF/PEO nanofibrous matrix was improved by turning SF structure from random coil (silk I) to ß-sheet (silk II) through ethanol vapor treatment. Biocompatibility of DDC@SF/PEO nanofibrous matrix on human normal cells (Wi-38) showed it was safe and the apoptosis-mediated anticancer activity of DDC was enhanced. Thus, loading DDC on SF/PEO nanofibrous matrix is the key descriptor for enhanced anticancer efficacy of DDC. Considering the all-aqueous and simplistic process, the DDC@SF/PEO nanofibrous matrix could be a promising candidate for cancer treatment applications.

Polyvinyl Alcohol/Hydroxyethylcellulose Containing Ethosomes as a Scaffold for Transdermal Drug Delivery Applications.

This study aims to develop scaffold for transdermal drug delivery method (TDDM) using electrospinning technique from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC). The fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) loaded on ethosomes (FITC@Eth) was used as a drug model. The prepared PVA/HEC/FITC@Eth scaffold was characterized via scanning electron microscope (SEM) that show morphology change by adding FITC@Eth. Also, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), mechanical properties, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric (TGA) analysis show that the addition of FITC@Eth to PVA/HEC does not change the scaffold properties. Franz diffusion cells were used for in vitro skin permeation experiments using rat dorsal skins. The FITC@Eth penetration was better than that of free FITC due to the presence of ethosome which enhance the potential skin targeting. In conclusion, the prepared PVA/HEC/FITC@Eth scaffold can serve as a promising transdermal scaffold for sustained FITC release.

Evaluation of antimicrobial and antioxidant activities for cellulose acetate films incorporated with Rosemary and Aloe Vera essential oils.

Enhancement of natural based polymeric membranes for active packaging takes the attention of scientists. Their biological activities can be obtained by adding essential oils, which are natural extracts with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. The target of current work aimed to produce bio-active membranes from cellulose acetate incorporated with Rosemary and Aloe Vera oil. The developed film's chemical structures and morphologies were investigated using FT-IR and SEM characterization tools. The impact of essential oils incorporation on water uptake, wettability behavior, and mechanical properties were explored. The results displayed that antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) increased as Rosemary and Aloe Vera oil percentage increases in cellulose acetate membranes. In addition, higher activity against B. subtilis compared to E. coli was also observed. Moreover, free radical scavenger activity (ABTS and DPPH) of cellulose acetate membranes, improved by increasing the essential oil content in the feed mixture. The obtained results provide a high potential for production of an efficient food packaging membrane from cellulose acetate containing Rosemary and Aloe Vera oil.

Hydroxyethyl cellulose hydrogel for wound dressing: Fabrication, characterization and in vitro evaluation.

In this study, new hydrogel membranes were developed based on hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) supplemented with tungsten oxide for further implementing in wound treatment. HEC hydrogel membranes were fabricated and crosslinked using citric acid (CA). Various tests were carried out including FTIR, XRD, porosity measurements, swelling, mechanical properties, gel fraction, and thermal gravimetric analysis to evaluate the efficiency of the prepared membranes as wound dressing material. In addition, wound healing activity of the examined membranes for human dermal fibroblast cell line was investigated employing in vitro scratching model. Furthermore, the potency of the prepared membranes to suppress wound complications was studied via determination of their anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities exploiting MTT, ELISA, and disk agar diffusion methods. The results demonstrated that the HEC hydrogel membranes revealed an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial efficacy. Moreover, HEC improved the safety of tungsten oxide toward normal human cells (white blood cells and dermal fibroblast). Furthermore, HEC membranes loaded with WO3 revealed the highest activities against Salmonella sp. pursued by P. aeruginosa in compared with the negative HEC hydrogel membrane. The current approach corroborated that HEC amended by tungsten oxide could be applied as a promising safe candidate for wound dressing material.

Induction of Apoptosis in Human Cancer Cells Through Extrinsic and Intrinsic Pathways by Balanites aegyptiaca Furostanol Saponins and Saponin-Coated SilverNanoparticles.

The aim of this investigation is to examine the anticancer activities of Balanites aegyptiaca fruit extract with its biogenic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against colon and liver cancer cells. B. aegyptiaca aqueous extract was fractionated according to polarity and by biosynthesized AgNP. The cytotoxicity of the extract, semi-purified fractions, and the AgNPs was examined on noncancerous cell lines. The safer fraction was subjected to ultra-performance liquid chromatography-MS to identify the major active constituents. The anticancer activities of the nontoxic doses of all the used treatments were tested against HepG2 and CaCo2 cells. The nontoxic dose of the B. aegyptiaca (0.63 mg/ml) extract showed high anti-proliferative activities against HepG2 and CaCo2 with a percentage of 81 and 77%, respectively. The butanol fraction was safer than the other two fractions with 46.3 and 90.35% anti-proliferative activity against Caco2 and HepG2 cells, respectively. The nontoxic dose of AgNPs (0.63 mg/ml) inhibits both HepG2 and Caco2 cells with a percentage of 84.5 and 83.4%, respectively. In addition, AgNPs regulate the expression of certain genes with folding higher than that of crude extract. Saponin-coated AgNPs showed great abilities to select the most anticancer ingredient(s) from the B. aegyptiaca extract with a more safety pattern than the polarity gradient fractionation.

The Novelty in Fabrication of Poly Vinyl Alcohol/κ-Carrageenan Hydrogel with Lactobacillus bulgaricus Extract as Anti-inflammatory Wound Dressing Agent.

Material barrier properties to microbes are an important issue in many pharmaceutical applications like wound dressings. A wide range of biomaterials has been used to manage the chronic inflamed wounds. Eight hydrogel membranes of poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) with κ-carrageenan (KC) and Lactobacillus bulgaricus extract (LAB) have been prepared by using freeze-thawing technique. To evaluate the membranes efficiency as wound dressing agents, various tests have been done like gel fraction, swelling behavior, mechanical properties, etc. The antibacterial activities of the prepared membranes were tested against the antibiotic-resistant bacterial isolates. In addition, the safety usage of the prepared hydrogel was checked on human dermal fibroblast cells. The anti-inflammatory properties of the prepared hydrogel on LPS-PBMC cell inflammatory model were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The analysis data of TGA, SEM, gel fraction, and swelling behavior showed changes in properties of prepared PVA\KC\LAB hydrogel membrane than pure PVA hydrogel membrane. The antibacterial activities of the prepared membranes augmented in LAB extract-prepared membranes. Out of the eight used hydrogel membranes, the PVAKC4 hydrogel membrane is the safest one on fibroblast cellular proliferation with a maximum proliferation percentage 97.3%. Also, all the used hydrogel membrane showed abilities to reduce the concentration of IL-2 and IL-8 compared with both negative and positive control. In addition, almost all the prepared hydrogel membrane showed variable abilities to downregulate the expression of TNF-α gene with superior effect of hydrogel membrane KC1. PVA/KC/LAB extract hydrogel membrane may be a promising material for wound dressing application and could accelerate the healing process of the chronic wound because of its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Enhancement of mechanical properties, microstructure, and antimicrobial activities of zein films cross-linked using succinic anhydride, eugenol, and citric Acid.

Zein constitutes about half of the endosperm proteins in corn. Recently, attempts have been made to utilize zein for food coatings and biodegradable materials, which require better physical properties, using chemical modification of zein. In this study, zein proteins were modified using citric acid, succinic anhydride, and eugenol as natural cross-linking agents in the wet state. The cross-linkers were added either separately or combined in increment concentrations (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4%). The effects of those agents on the mechanical properties, microstructure, optical properties, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and antibacterial activities of zein were investigated. The addition of cross-linking agents promoted changes in the arrangement of groups in zein film-forming particles. Regarding the film properties, incorporation of cross-linking agents into zein films prepared in ethanol resulted in two- to three-fold increases in tensile strength (TS) values. According to the Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra and Hunter parameters there were no remarkable changes in the structure and color of zein films. Transparency of zein films was decreased differentially according to the type and cross-linker concentration. The mechanical and optical properties of zein films were closely related to their microstructure. All cross-linked films showed remarkable antibacterial activities against Bacillus cereus ATCC 49064 and Salmonella enterica ATCC 25566. Food spoilage and pathogenic bacteria were affected in a film-dependent manner. Our experimental results show that even with partial cross-linking the mechanical properties and antipathogen activities of zein films were significantly improved, which would be useful for various industrial applications.

Autohydrolysed Tilapia nilotica Fish Viscera as a Peptone Source in Bacteriocin Production.

Fish processing generates large amounts of solid and liquid wastes. Many different by-products have been produced from fish processing wastes. Studies on solubilization of Bolti fish (Tilapia nilotica) viscera by endogenous enzymes at different pHs are described. Hydrolysis reactions were conducted with freshly thawed viscera utilizing an initial temperature gradient and terminated at various time points by heat inactivation of the enzymes. Various peptones obtained from hydrolysed visceral homogenates of Bolti fish residues showed their suitability for promoting the growth of lactic acid bacteria (mainly Lactobacillus sake Lb 706), microorganisms with particularly complex nutritional requirements especially peptidic sources. The assay of several treatments with L. sakei Lb 706, producer of the bacteriocin sakacin A, demonstrated that optimum conditions for biomass and bacteriocin production only imply a brief autohydrolysis at room temperature. The results showed that the Bolti fish hydrolysates gave remarkable results to those found in costly commercial media, specifically recommended for culturing and large-scale production of lactic acid bacteria.