Applications of chitosan nanoparticles in drug delivery.

We have reviewed the binding affinities of several antitumor drugs doxorubicin (Dox), N-(trifluoroacetyl) doxorubicin (FDox), tamoxifen (Tam), 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-Hydroxytam), and endoxifen (Endox) with chitosan nanoparticles of different sizes (chitosan-15, chitosan-100, and chitosan-200 KD) in order to evaluate the efficacy of chitosan nanocarriers in drug delivery systems. Spectroscopic and molecular modeling studies showed the binding sites and the stability of drug-polymer complexes. Drug-chitosan complexation occurred via hydrophobic and hydrophilic contacts as well as H-bonding network. Chitosan-100 KD was the more effective drug carrier than the chitosan-15 and chitosan-200 KD.

Interaction of 5-Fluorouracil and its derivatives with bovine serum albumin.

Fluorouracil (5-FU) and its derivatives are the most commonly used drugs to treat many types of cancer. Two dual functional agents, FUPAE and FUPAP, derived from 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) have shown radiosensitizing activity but unlike their components were not cytotoxic. This study was designed to examine the interaction of BSA with 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) and two of its derivatives; FUPAE and FUPAP at physiological conditions, using a constant protein concentration and various drug contents. FTIR, UV-Vis spectroscopic methods as well as molecular modelling were used to determine the drugs binding mode, the binding constants and the effects of drug complexation on BSA stability and conformation. Structural analysis showed that 5-Fluorouracil, FUPAE and FUPAP bind BSA via polypeptide polar groups with overall binding constants of K(5-FU-BSA)=3.02(±0.09)×10(3), K(FUPAE-BSA)=1.08(±0.04)×10(4), K(FUPAP-BSA)=1.21(±0.06)×10(4) M(-1). BSA conformation was altered by a major reduction of α-helix from 69% (free BSA) to 34% with 5-FU, 40% with FUPAE, 38% with FUPAP. These results suggest that serum albumins might act as carrier proteins for FUPAE and FUPAP in delivering them to target tissues.

RNA binding to antioxidant flavonoids.

Flavonoids are an interesting group of natural polyphenolic compounds that exhibit extensive bioactivities such as scavenging free radical, antitumor and antiproliferative effects. The anticancer and antiviral effects of these natural products are attributed to their potential biomedical applications. While flavonoids complexation with DNA is known, their bindings to RNA are not fully investigated. This study was designed to examine the interactions of three flavonoids; morin (Mor), apigenin (Api) and naringin (Nar) with yeast RNA in aqueous solution at physiological conditions, using constant RNA concentration (6.25 mM) and various pigment/RNA (phosphate) ratios of 1/120 to 1/1. FTIR, UV-visible spectroscopic methods were used to determine the ligand binding modes, the binding constant and the stability of RNA in flavonoid-RNA complexes in aqueous solution. Spectroscopic evidence showed major binding of flavonoids to RNA with overall binding constants of K(morin) = 9.150 x 10(3) M(-1), K(apigenin)=4.967 x 10(4) M(-1), and K(naringin)=1.144 x 10(4) M(-1). The affinity of flavonoid-RNA binding is in the order of apigenin>naringin>morin. No biopolymer secondary structural changes were observed upon flavonoid interaction and RNA remains in the A-family structure in these pigment complexes.

Conformational analysis of Na,K-ATPase in drug-protein complexes.

This review reports the effects of several drugs such as AZT (anti-AIDS), cis-Pt (antitumor), aspirin (anti-inflammatory) and vitamin C (antioxidant) on the stability and conformation of Na,K-ATPase in vitro. Drug-enzyme binding was found to be via H-bonding to the polypeptide CO and C-N groups with two binding constants K(1(AZT))=5.30 (+/-2.1)x10(5)M(-1) and K(2(AZT))=9.80 (+/-2.9)x10(3)M(-1) for AZT and one binding constant K(cis)(-Pt)=1.93 (+/-1.2)x10(4)M(-1) for cis-Pt, K(aspirin)=6.45 (+/-2.5)x10(3)M(-1) and K(ascorbate)=1.04 (+/-0.5)x10(4)M(-1) for aspirin and ascorbic acid. The enzyme secondary structure was altered with major increase of alpha-helix from 19.9% (free protein) to 22-26% and reduction of beta-sheet from 25.6% (free protein) to 17-23% upon drug complexation indicating a partial stabilization of protein conformation. The order of induced stability is AZT>cis-Pt>ascorbate>aspirin.

Protein unfolding in drug-RNase complexes.

Bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A (RNase A) catalyzes the cleavage of P-O5' bonds in RNA on the 3' side of pyrimidine to form cyclic 2', 5'-phosphates. It has several high affinity binding sites that make it possible target for many organic and inorganic molecules. Ligand binding to RNase A can alter protein secondary structure and its catalytic activity. In this review, the effects of several drugs such as AZT (anti-AIDS), cis-Pt (antitumor), aspirin (anti-inflammatory), and vitamin C (antioxidant) on the stability and conformation of RNase A in vitro are compared. The results of UV-visible, FTIR, and CD spectroscopic analysis of RNase complexes with aspirin, AZT, cis-Pt, and vitamin C at physiological conditions are discussed here. Spectroscopic results showed one major binding for each drug-RNase adduct with KAZT=5.29 (+/-1.6)x10(4) M(-1), Kaspirin=3.57 (+/-1.4)x10(4) M(-1), Kcis-Pt=5.66 (+/-1.9)x10(3) M(-1), and Kascorbate=3.50 (+/-1.5)x10(3) M(-1). Major protein unfolding occurred with reduction of alpha-helix from 29% (free protein) to 20% and increase of beta-sheet from 39% (free protein) to 45% in the aspirin-, ascorbate-, and cis-Pt-RNase complexes, while minor increase of alpha-helix was observed for AZT-RNase adduct.

The effects of drug complexation on the stability and conformation of human serum albumin: protein unfolding.

We report different analytical methods used to study the effects of 3\'-azido-3\'-deoxythymidine, aspirin, taxol, cisplatin, atrazine, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic, biogenic polyamines, chlorophyll, chlorophyllin, poly(ethylene glycol), vanadyl cation, vanadate anion, cobalt-hexamine cation, and As2O3, on the stability and secondary structure of human serum albumin (HSA) in aqueous solution, using capillary electrophoresis, Fourier transform infrared, ultraviolet visible, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic methods. The concentrations of HSA used were 4% to 2% or 0.6 to 0.3 mM, while different ligand concentrations were 1 microM to 1 mM. Structural data showed drugs are mostly located along the polypeptide chains with both specific and nonspecific interactions. The stability of drug-protein complexes were in the order K(VO(2+)) 1.2 x 10(8) M(-1) > K(AZT) 1.9 x 10(6) M(-)1 > K(PEG) 4.1 x 10(5) M(-1) > K(atrazine) 3.5 x 10(4) M(-1) > K(chlorophyll) 2.9 x 10(4) M(-1) > K2,4-D 2.5 x 10(4) M-1 > K(spermine) 1.7 x 10(4) M(-1) > K(taxol) 1.43 x 10(4) M(-1) > K(Co(3+)) > 1.1 x 10(4) M(-1) > K(aspirin) 1.04 x 10(4)i(-1) > K(chlorophyllin) 7.0 x 10(3) M(-1) > K(VO(3)(-)) 6.0 x 103 M(-1) > K(spermidine) 5.4 x 10(3) M(-1) > K(putrescine) 3.9 x 10(3) M(-1) > K(As(2)O(3)) 2.2 x 10(3) M(-1)> K(cisplatin) 1.2 x 10(2) M(-1). The protein conformation was altered (infrared and CD results) with major reduction of alpha-helix from 60 to 55% (free HSA) to 49 to 40% and increase of beta-structure from 22 to 15% (free HSA) to 33 to 23% in the drug-protein complexes. The alterations of protein secondary structure are attributed to a partial unfolding of HSA on drug complexation.

Thymol and carvacrol binding to DNA: model for drug-DNA interaction.

Thymol and carvacrol can bind to major and minor grooves of B-DNA. The aim of this study was to examine the interaction of calf thymus DNA with thymol and carvacrol in aqueous solution and physiological pH with thymol/DNA and carvacrol/DNA (phosphate) molar ratios of 1/20, 1/10, 1/5, and 1/1. Fourier transform infrared and UV-visible difference spectroscopy were used to determine the thymol and carvacrol binding mode, binding constant, sequence selectivity, DNA secondary structure, and structural variations of thymol/DNA and carvacrol/DNA complexes in aqueous solution. Spectroscopic evidence showed that the thymol and carvacrol interaction occurred mainly through H-bonding of the thymol and carvacrol OH group to the guanine N7, cytosine N3, and backbone phosphate group with overall binding constant of K(thymol-DNA) = 2.43 x 10(3) M(-1), K(carvacrol-DNA) = 1.55 x 10(3) M(-1). In thymol and carvacrol-DNA complexes, DNA remains in the B-family structure.

Thallium-DNA complexes in aqueous solution. Major or minor groove binding.

Thallium (Tl) binds to the major and minor grooves of B-DNA in the solid state (Howerton et al., Biochemistry 40, 10023-10031, 2001). The aim of this study was to examine the binding of Tl(I) cation with calf-thymus DNA in aqueous solution at physiological pH, using constant concentration of DNA (12.5 mM) and various concentrations of metal ions (0.5 to 20 mM). UV-visible and FTIR spectroscopic methods were used to determine the cation binding site, the binding constant and DNA structural variations in aqueous solution. Direct Tl bindings to guanine and thymine were evident by major spectral changes of DNA bases with overall binding constant of K = 1.40 x 10(4) M(-1) and little perturbations of the backbone phosphate group. Both major and minor groove bindings were observed with no alteration of the B-DNA conformation. At low metal concentration (0.5 mM), the number of cations bound were 10 per 1000 nucleotides, while at higher cation concentration (10 mM), this increased to 30 cations per 1000 nucleotides.