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.     

Interaction of antitumor drug Sn(CH3)2Cl2 with DNA and RNA

Sn(CH₃)₂Cl₂ exerts its antitumor activity in a specific way. Unlike anticancer cis-Pt(NH₃)₂Cl₂ drug which binds strongly to the nitrogen atoms of DNA bases, Sn(CH₃)₂Cl₂ shows no major affinity towards base binding. Thus, the mechanism of action by which tinorganometallic compounds exert antitumor activity would be different from that of the cisplatin drug. The aim of this study was to examine the binding of Sn(CH₃)₂Cl₂ with calf thymus DNA and yeast RNA in aqueous solutions at pH 7.1–6.6 with constant concentrations of DNA and RNA and various molar ratios of Sn(CH₃)₂Cl₂/DNA (phosphate) and Sn(CH₃)₂Cl₂/RNA of 1/40, 1/20, 1/10, 1/5. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and UV–visible difference spectroscopic methods were used to determine the Sn(CH₃)₂Cl₂ binding mode, binding constant, sequence selectivity and structural variations of Sn(CH₃)₂Cl₂/DNA and Sn(CH₃)₂Cl₂/RNA complexes in aqueous solution. Sn(CH₃)₂Cl₂ hydrolyzes in water to give Sn(CH₃)₂(OH)₂ and [Sn(CH₃)₂(OH)(H₂O)_n]⁺ species. Spectroscopic evidence showed that interaction occurred mainly through (CH₃)₂Sn(IV) hydroxide and polynucleotide backbone phosphate group with overall binding constant of K(Sn(CH₃)₂Cl₂–DNA)=1.47×10⁵ M⁻¹ and K(Sn(CH₃)₂Cl₂–RNA)=7.33×10⁵ M⁻¹. Sn(CH₃)₂Cl₂ induced no biopolymer conformational changes with DNA remaining in the B-family structure and RNA in A-conformation upon drug complexation.     

PVC-membrane ion-selective bulk optode for Ag<Superscript>+</Superscript> ion based on hexathia-18-crown-6 and 1,2-benzo-3-octadecanoylimino-7-diethylaminophenoxazine

A silver-selective optode membrane incorporating hexathia-18-crown-6 for cation recognition and a lipophilic chromoionophore 1,2-benzo-3-octadecanoylimino-7-diethylaminophenoxazine for transduction has been prepared. The PVC membrane composition was optimized to result in the largest working concentration range. The response range of the proposed optode is 5.0 x 10(-9)-5.0 x 10(-5) mol L(-1) Ag(+) with a limit of detection of 1.0 x 10(-9) mol L(-1). The probe works well at pH 5.0 and revealed small ion interference and good selectivity, reproducibility and stability.     

Multiwavelength spectrophotometric determination of acidity constants of some azo dyes

A multiwavelength spectrophotometric titration method was applied to study the acidity constants of some azo dyes in water. The UV-vis absorption spectra of azo dye solutions were recorded in the course of their pH-metric titration with a standard base solution. The protolytic equilibrium constants, spectral profiles, concentration diagrams and also the number of components have been calculated. The quantitative effects of the substituents on the acidity of the studied azo dyes were investigated by the linear free energy relationship (LFER) using Hammet sigma constant (sigma) and field and resonance effects of Kamlet and Taft (f and Re, respectively).     

Novel,Efficient, and Green Procedure for the Knoevenagel Condensation Catalyzed by Diammonium Hydrogen Phosphate in Water

Knoevenagel condensation of various aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes with active methylene compounds like methyl and ethyl cyanoacetate, malononitrile, and cyanoacetamide proceeds smoothly with stirring in water in the presence of 4 mol% of diammonium hydrogen phosphate. The reactions were carried out at room temperature in short periods with very simple workup procedure and good to high yields.     

MicroRNA‐2861 and nanofibrous scaffold synergistically promote human induced pluripotent stem cells osteogenic differentiation

Tissue engineering using new strategies has become a growing and promising method for treating large tissue lesions in the body. On the other hand, microRNAs (miRNAs), which are small non‐coding regulatory RNAs, are a new class of genetic materials that can have effective pharmacological roles. The combination of these two themes has created promising prospects for the treatment of diseases. Herein, human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were transduced with miRNA‐2861 and then the osteogenic differentiation potential of transduced iPSCs and non‐transduced iPSCs was investigated while cultured on the electrospun poly lactic‐co‐glycolic acid (PLGA) nanofibrous scaffold and culture plate. MiR‐2861‐transduced iPSCs showed a significantly higher viability, mineralization, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, calcium content, and bone‐related gene expression in comparison with those iPSCs that non‐transduced. The results also indicated that this increase is improved when miR‐2861 transduced iPSCs are cultured on the PLGA nanofibrous scaffold synergistically. This synergy was also confirmed by the results obtained from of Western blot analysis. It can be concluded that, miR‐2861, by negative regulation of those proteins that decrease/inhibit osteogenic differentiation and PLGA nanofibrous scaffold by preparation of a suitable artificial extracellular matrix, have a great positive impact in improving iPSCs osteogenic differentiation potential and this blend can be proposed to use in bone tissue engineering application.     

Interaction of aspirin and vitamin C with bovine serum albumin

Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) has a major biological role as a natural antioxidant. Aspirin belongs to the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and functions as an antioxidant via its ability to scavenge-OH radicals. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) is the major soluble protein constituent of the circulatory system and has many physiological functions including transport of a variety of compounds. In this report, the competitive binding of vitamin C and aspirin to bovine serum albumin has been studied using constant protein concentration and various drug concentrations at pH 7.2. FTIR and UV-Vis spectroscopic methods were used to analyze vitamin C and aspirin binding modes, the binding constants and the effects of drug complexation on BSA stability and conformation. Spectroscopic evidence showed that vitamin C and aspirin bind BSA via hydrophilic interactions (polypeptide and amine polar groups) with overall binding constants of K(vitamin C-BSA)=1.57×10(4)M(-1) and K(aspirin-BSA)=1.15×10(4)M(-1); assuming that there is one drug molecule per protein. The BSA secondary structure was altered with major decrease of α-helix from 64% (free protein) to 57% (BSA-vitamin C) and 54% (BSA-aspirin) and β-sheet from 15% (free protein) to 6-7% upon drug complexation, inducing a partial protein destabilization.     

Study on the interaction of tamiflu and oseltamivir carboxylate with human serum albumin

Oseltamivir phosphate (OP; tamiflu) is an antiviral pro-drug, which is hydrolyzed hepatically to the active metabolite oseltamivir carboxylate (OC). It is the first orally neuraminidase inhibitor that was used in the treatment and prophylaxis of influenza virus A and B infection. Human serum albumin (HSA) is the most abundant of the proteins in the blood plasma and is major transporter for delivering several drugs in vivo. This study was designed to examine the interaction of HSA with oseltamivir phosphate (OP) and oseltamivir carboxylate (OC) in aqueous solution at physiological conditions, using a constant protein concentration and various drug contents. FTIR, UV-Vis spectroscopic methods were used to determine the drugs binding mode, the binding constant and the effects of drug complexation on protein secondary structure. Structural analysis showed that OP and OC bind HSA via polypeptide polar groups with overall binding constants of K(OP-HSA)=3.86(± 1.05)× 10(3)M(-1) and K(OC-HSA)=1.5(±0.45) × 10(2)M(-1). The alterations of protein secondary structure are attributed to a partial destabilization of HSA on drug complexation. The protein secondary structure showed no major alterations at low drugs concentrations (50 μM), whereas at higher content (1mM), decrease of α-helix from 58% (free HSA) to 38% (OP-HSA)-48% (OC-HSA), decrease of random coil from 15% (free HSA) to 2% (OP-HSA)-3% (OC-HSA), increase of β-sheet from 6% (free HSA) to 20% (OC-HSA)-29% (OP-HSA) and turn from 8% (free HSA) to 17% (OC-HSA)-19% (OP-HSA) occurred in the drug-HSA complexes. These observations indicated that low drug content induced protein stabilization, whereas at high drug concentration, a partial protein destabilization occurred in these drug-HSA complexes.     

Production of a water disinfectant by membrane electrolysis of brine solution and evaluation of its quality change during the storage time

Anolyte solution produced by membrane electrolysis of NaCl solution contains a high level of available chlorine content (ACC) and other oxidizing compounds, rendering this solution a strong disinfectant property. In this paper, some process parameters affecting the anolyte production efficiency, such as total inlet flow (240–320 L/h), saline solution concentration (1.65–3.50 g/L), and the type of membrane (cation exchange, anion exchange, and bipolar membranes) were investigated in an electrolysis cell. Changes in the quality of anolytes produced at three initial concentrations of very high (ACC₁ = 816.5 mg/L), relatively high (ACC₂ = 461.5 mg/L), and medium (ACC₃ = 355.0 mg/L) during storage (from the production up to 20 weeks) were examined by adjusting the total inlet flow, saline concentrations, and membrane types. Changes in the ACC of the produced anolyte solution were generally affected by the type of membrane used in the electrolysis cell. The use of anion exchange membrane resulted in the lowest durability of anolyte quality (60–80% ACC reduction after 4 weeks of storage) and the cation exchange membrane had the highest durability (less than 40% decrease after 4 weeks of storage). In addition, changes in the pH and the oxidation–reduction potential of the anolyte were investigated during the storage period, which had a different trend depending on the type of applied membrane.