Evaluation of cytotoxicity, immune compatibility and antibacterial activity of biogenic silver nanoparticles.

The study was focused on assessment of antibacterial activity, cytotoxicity and immune compatibility of biogenic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized from Streptomyces sp. NH28 strain. Nanoparticles were biosynthesized and characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis system and zeta potential. Antibacterial activity was tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria; minimal inhibitory concentration was recorded. Cytotoxicity was estimated using L929 mouse fibroblasts via 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide test. Biocompatibility of AgNPs was performed using THP1-XBlue™ cells. Biogenic AgNPs presented high antibacterial activity against all tested bacteria. Minimum inhibitory concentration of AgNPs against bacterial cells was found to be in range of 1.25-10 µg/mL. Silver nanoparticles did not show any harmful interaction to mouse fibroblast cell line, and no activation of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B (NF-κB) cells was observed at concentration below 10 µg/mL. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value was established at 64.5 µg/mL. Biological synthesis of silver can be used as an effective system for formation of metal nanoparticles. Biosynthesized AgNPs can be used as an antibacterial agent, which can be safe for eukaryotic cells.

Detection of biosurfactants in Bacillus species: genes and products identification.

AIM: To screen environmental Bacillus strains for detection of genes encoding the enzymes involved in biosurfactant synthesis and to evaluate their products e.g. surfactin, iturin and fengycin. MATERIALS AND RESULTS: The taxonomic identification of isolated from the environment Bacillus strains was performed by Microgene ID Bacillus panel and GEN III Biolog system. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) strategy for screening of genes in Bacillus strains was set up. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was used for the identification of lipopeptides (LPs). All studied strains exhibited the presence of srfAA gene and produced surfactin mostly as four homologues (C13 to C16). Moreover, in 2 strains (KP7, T'-1) simultaneous co-production of 3 biosurfactants: surfactin, iturin and fengycin was observed. Additionally, it was found out that isolate identified as Bacillus subtilis ssp. subtilis (KP7), beside LPs co-production, synthesizes surfactin with the efficiency much higher than other studied strains (40·2 mg l(-1) ) and with the yield ranging from 0·8 to 8·3 mg l(-1) . CONCLUSION: We showed that the combined methodology based on PCR and LC-MS/MS technique is an optimal tool for the detection of genes encoding enzymes involved in biosurfactant synthesis as well as their products, e.g. surfactin, iturin and fengycin. This approach improves the screening and the identification of environmental Bacillus co-producing biosurfactants-stimulating and facilitating the development of this area of science. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The findings of this work will help to improve screening of biosurfactant producers. Discovery of novel biosurfactants and biosurfactants co-production ability has shed light on their new application fields and for the understanding of their interactions and properties.

Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide activity in human peripheral blood mononuclear leukocyte cultures.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) have been recognized as a major cause of chronic gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers and gastric cancer. Macrophages are the targets of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which is a constituent of the outer membrane of Gram-negative rods. In this study we focused on a potential role of macrophages in the proliferation of human peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes (PBML) in the milieu of H. pylori LPS and standard E. coli LPS. First, we found that H. pylori and E. coli LPS induced proliferation of total PBML (tPBML) from 5 out 21 healthy blood donors (LPS responders). In the LPS milieu, tPBML from the majority of volunteers (LPS non-responders) showed a significant decrease in the [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation as compared to tPBML in medium alone. The decreased cell proliferation was associated with a diminished metabolic activity of non-adherent lymphocytes. Then, non-adherent lymphocytes were stimulated with autologous macrophages pulsed with bacterial LPS. Still, the lymphocytes from the non-responders did not proliferate in the cultures with LPS exposed macrophages. In the group of LPS responders, the macrophages pulsed with H. pylori LPS significantly reduced the proliferation of non-adherent lymphocytes. The possible mechanism regulating the responses of PBML to bacterial LPS with an implication for the outcome of H. pylori infections is discussed.

The effects of nucleoside analogues on promoter methylation of selected tumor suppressor genes in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines.

The effects of 2-chloro-2'-deoxyadenosine, 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-2-fluoroadenine, and 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine on promoter methylation of the selected tumor suppressor genes (i.e., ERalpha, BRCA1, RARbeta2, E-cadherin, PTEN, and APC) were estimated using methylation-sensitive restriction analysis. The studies were carried out in hormone-responsive, low-invasive cell line MCF-7 and hormone-insensitive, highly invasive cell line MDA-MB-231. The results demonstrate an implication of the tested adenosine analogues and 5-aza-dCyd in regulation of DNA methylation process. Moreover, the effects of nucleoside analogues on PTEN promoter methylation suggest distinct mechanism of regulation of the epigenetic DNA modification in low-invasive compared to highly invasive breast cancer cells.

Development of an animal model for assessment of the hemostatic efficacy of fibrin sealant in vascular surgery.

PURPOSE: Sustained hemostatic function of fibrin sealant (FS) is crucial when it is used in cardiovascular surgery. The purpose of this study was to develop a model that can determine the long-term hemostatic efficacy of tissue sealants in a vascular surgery. METHODS: To determine the ability of the model to detect differences in FS performance, various concentrations of FS were prepared and tested. Tensile strength of FS clots was determined in vitro using a tensiometer. Laparotomy was performed on 49 anesthetized rabbits, and a segment of the aorta was occluded, transected, and then sutured in an end-to-end fashion with four or eight interrupted 9-O sutures. The four-suture repair was covered with FS or placebo, and blood flow restored. Spilled blood was absorbed with gauze and weighed to estimate blood loss. Four weeks after surgery the animals were euthanized and the vessels recovered for histology. RESULTS: Average tensile strength of FS clots at 120, 90, and 60 mg/ml topical fibrinogen complex (TFC) concentration was 0.42 +/- 0.07 N, with no significant difference among them. The lowest TFC concentration, 30 mg/ml, produced weaker clots than either 120 or 90 mg/ml (P < 0.05). All rabbits with four-suture anastomoses that were treated with placebo bled to death after the vessel was unclamped (n = 6). Treatment of suture line with standard FS concentration (120 mg/ml TFC, n = 8) sealed the anastomosis and prevented blood loss. Hemostasis was sustained for 4 weeks, allowing vascular healing. All rabbits with the eight-suture anastomosis survived the operation but lost 42 +/- 9.2 ml blood (n = 5). Hemostatic efficacy of FS was unchanged when TFC was diluted to 90 mg/ml (n = 6) but further dilution to 60 mg/ml with water (n = 8) produced significantly less effective clots, with an average blood loss of 5.5 +/- 7.6 ml (P < 0.05) and two fatal clot failures postoperatively. When FS was diluted to 60 mg/ml TFC with a buffer, it maintained its hemostatic strength (n = 6). Further TFC dilution to 30 mg/ml led to consistent bleeding with an average blood loss of 35.3 +/- 10.3 ml (P < 0.001, n = 6). CONCLUSIONS: The four-suture anastomosis of rabbit aorta offers a consistent and reliable method for evaluating the short- and long-term hemostatic efficacy of FS products. This model is not only able to determine the functional differences in various concentrations of FS, but it is also sensitive to detect the subtle changes in FS preparation (e.g., medium composition) that is not detected by in vitro testing.

Structure and alpha-adrenergic activity of pyrazinimidazolines.

The effects of newly synthetized pyrazinimidazolines on the contraction of isolated rat tail artery and on the chronotropic action of rat atria as well as the effects on blood pressure in anaesthetized rats were determined. The structure-activity relationships were studied, including standard imidazoline drugs. Starting from practically inactive derivatives the step-by-step structural modifications have been made resulting in markedly active chemical congeners, which were designed, synthetized and tested pharmacologically.