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Electrostatic Binding (electrostatic + binding)
Selected AbstractsElectrostatic binding of nanoparticles to mesenchymal stem cells via high molecular weight polyelectrolyte chainsJOURNAL OF TISSUE ENGINEERING AND REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, Issue 4 2009Boon C. Heng Abstract Combining stem cell transplantation with nanoparticle-mediated delivery of drugs and pharmaceuticals is envisioned to be one of the next major developmental steps in regenerative medicine. However, a major challenge would be to keep nanoparticles co-localized with stem cells upon transplantation or transfusion in situ. Since nanoparticles are physically much smaller in size than cells and would not specifically bind to extracellular matrix, it is easier for them to disperse from the transplantation site via the blood circulation. Conjugating nanoparticles directly to the cell membrane can potentially interfere with cellular function by physically obstructing cell surface receptors from interacting with the extracellular matrix, various growth factors and cytokines and other cells. Moreover, drug-loaded nanoparticles may be internalized into the cytoplasm via endocytosis or phagocytosis, which may wreak damage on the cellular machinery, leading to impaired physiological function or cell death. A novel solution may be to utilize high molecular weight polyelectrolyte chains to electrostatically bind nanoparticles to cells. For this purpose, hyaluronan, poly- L -lysine and chitosan are of special interest, because these molecules are generally recognized to be biocompatible for application in various pharmaceutical and surgical products. This study investigated the use of these molecules to bind nanoparticles to mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and a novel technique of conjugating half the cell surface with nanoparticles through the use of polyelectrolyte chains was also developed. This would avoid blocking MSC interaction with cytokines, growth factors, extracellular matrix and other cells within the recipient tissue/organ upon delivery in situ. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Induced SER-Activity in Nanostructured Ag,Silica,Au Supports via Long-Range Plasmon CouplingADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 12 2010Jiu-Ju Feng Abstract A novel Ag,silica,Au hybrid device is developed that displays a long-range plasmon transfer of Ag to Au leading to enhanced Raman scattering of molecules largely separated from the optically excited Ag surface. A nanoscopically rough Ag surface is coated by a silica spacer of variable thickness from ,1 to 21,nm and a thin Au film of ,25,nm thickness. The outer Au surface is further functionalized by a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) for electrostatic binding of the heme protein cytochrome c (Cyt c) that serves as a Raman probe and model enzyme. High-quality surface-enhanced resonance Raman (SERR) spectra are obtained with 413,nm excitation, demonstrating that the enhancement results exclusively from excitation of Ag surface plasmons. The enhancement factor is estimated to be 2,×,104,8,×,103 for a separation of Cyt c from the Ag surface by 28,47,nm, corresponding to an attenuation of the enhancement by a factor of only 2,6 compared to Cyt c adsorbed directly on a SAM-coated Ag electrode. Upon immobilization of Cyt c on the functionalized Ag,silica,Au device, the native structure and redox properties are preserved as demonstrated by time- and potential-dependent SERR spectroscopy. [source] Genetically Engineered Phage Fibers and Coatings for Antibacterial ApplicationsADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 2 2010Joan Y. Mao Abstract Multifunctionality can be imparted to protein-based fibers and coatings via either synthetic or biological approaches. Here, potent antimicrobial functionality of genetically engineered, phage-based fibers and fiber coatings, processed at room temperature, is demonstrated. Facile genetic engineering of the M13 virus (bacteriophage) genome leverages the well-known antibacterial properties of silver ions to kill bacteria. Predominant expression of negatively charged glutamic acid (E3) peptides on the pVIII major coat proteins of M13 bacteriophage enables solution-based, electrostatic binding of silver ions and subsequent reduction to metallic silver along the virus length. Antibacterial fibers of micrometer-scale diameters are constructed from such an E3-modified phage via wet-spinning and glutaraldehyde-crosslinking of the E3-modified viruses. Silverization of the free-standing fibers is confirmed via energy dispersive spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, showing ,0.61,µg cm,1 of silver on E3,Ag fibers. This degree of silverization is threefold greater than that attainable for the unmodified M13,Ag fibers. Conferred bactericidal functionality is determined via live,dead staining and a modified disk-diffusion (Kirby,Bauer) measure of zone of inhibition (ZoI) against Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli bacterial strains. Live,dead staining and ZoI distance measurements indicate increased bactericidal activity in the genetically engineered, silverized phage fibers. Coating of Kevlar fibers with silverized E3 phage exhibits antibacterial effects as well, with relatively smaller ZoIs attributable to the lower degree of silver loading attainable in these coatings. Such antimicrobial functionality is amenable to rapid incorporation within fiber-based textiles to reduce risks of infection, biofilm formation, or odor-based detection, with the potential to exploit the additional electronic and thermal conductivity of fully silverized phage fibers and coatings. [source] Potentiometric studies on the interaction between superoxide dismutase and hyaluronic acidJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 4 2009Yaofeng Fan Abstract The formation process of soluble complexes and insoluble aggregates between superoxide dismutase (SOD) and hyaluronic acid (HA) was studied using quasielastic light scattering and turbidimetric titration. The electrostatic binding between them was investigated in detail through potentiometric titration and turbidimetric titration carried out from high to low pH. Turbidimetric titration was used to determine the specific pH values at which soluble complex formation was initiated (pHc) and phase separation occurred (pH,). An increase of the ionic strength causes a decrease of pHc and pH,. With the increase of HA concentrations, pH, increases but pHc does not vary. The formed "salt bridges" between (SOD) and COO, (HA) result in the formation of stable SOD-HA complexes and even aggregates. The necessary condition of electrostatic binding was also given for protein-acidic polyelectrolyte systems. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009 [source] A novel synthetic peptide vector system for optimal gene delivery to bone marrow stromal cellsJOURNAL OF PEPTIDE SCIENCE, Issue 3 2007Pan Haitao Abstract A 23-amino acid, bifunctional, integrin-targeted synthetic peptide was evaluated for ex vivo gene delivery to rabbit bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). The peptide (K)16GRGDSPC consists of an amino terminal domain of 16 lysines for electrostatic binding of DNA, and a 7-amino acid integrin-binding domain at the carboxyl terminal. PcDNA3-EGFP plasmids were transfected into BMSCs by (K)16GRGDSPC and the positive cells gave out a bright green fluorescence. High levels of gene delivery of pcDNA3-TGF-,1 plasmids were obtained with 2 to 4 µg/ml DNA concentration, with (K)16GRGDSPC at an optimal peptide: DNA w/w ratio of 3:1, with a required exposure time of more than 4 h but shorter than 24 h for BMSC exposure to the peptide/DNA complexes with completely absent serum in the initial stage; with 100 µM chloroquine and at least 8 h exposure for BMSC exposure to chloroquine; with a fusogenic peptide at an optimal (K)16GRGDSPC/DNA/fusogenic peptide w/w ratio of 3:1:5; and with Lipofectamine 2000 at an optimal (K)16GRGDSPC/DNA/Lipofectamine 2000 w/w ratio of 3:1:2 at a constant DNA concentration of 2 µg/ml. Chloroquine, the fusogenic peptide and Lipofectamine 2000 all significantly promoted gene delivery, but chloroquine was more effective than the fusogenic peptide and had obvious synergistic effects with Lipofectamine 2000. Under optimal conditions, TGF-,1 gene was transfected into BMSCs without observable toxicity, and the stable expression was examined by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. The stable transgenic cells showed obvious bands. This novel synthetic peptide, providing a new way for the use of polylysine and RGD motif in DNA vector system, is potentially well suited to ex vivo gene delivery to BMSCs for experimental and clinical applications in the field of bone tissue engineering. Copyright © 2006 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Spectroscopic Investigations on the Binding of the Photosensitizer Chlorin p6 with Amine-modified Silica Nanoparticles in Aqueous MediaPHOTOCHEMISTRY & PHOTOBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Beena Jain Absorption and emission properties of the amphiphilic photosensitizer Chlorin p6 were investigated in aqueous medium in the presence of silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) having positively charged amino groups. The results of these studies reveal that the acid,base ionization equilibrium of Chlorin p6 in aqueous medium is significantly affected as a result of strong electrostatic binding between the negatively charged drug and SiNP. The spectroscopic signature of the drug bound to SiNPs suggests that the tri-anionic form of the drug remains bound to the positively charged SiNPs at pH 8.0. As the pH is progressively decreased the formation of hydrophobic aggregates is disrupted significantly due to the presence of electrostatic binding force, which competes with intermolecular hydrophobic forces. The interplay of hydrophobic and electrostatic forces in the drug,nanoparticle binding process might affect the relative uptake and photodynamic efficacy of the free drug and the drug,nanoparticle complex in cancer cells. [source] Investigation of binary polymer/surfactant or ternary polymer/surfactant/Cu2+ complexes in aqueous solution through Nile red probingPOLYMER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 8 2010Zacharoula Iatridi Abstract The optical properties (absorption and emission) of Nile red have been widely used for staining or probing purposes in diverse aqueous systems. However, the applications of Nile red for the determination of the critical aggregation concentration of polymer/surfactant complexes or for the investigation of ternary polymer/surfactant/Cu2+ systems are very limited. The interactions between anionic polyelectrolytes and the oppositely charged surfactant N,N,N,N -dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride were investigated in dilute aqueous solution, exploiting the optical properties of Nile red. It is shown that the emission properties of Nile red present better sensitivity than its absorption properties, concerning the detection of the hydrophobic polymer/surfactant complexes formed in aqueous solution. Moreover, it is found that the formation of ternary polymer/surfactant/Cu2+ complexes leads to a pronounced quenching of the luminescence of Nile red. The corresponding Stern,Volmer plots indicate that quenching is more favourable when coordination of Cu2+ ions with poly(sodium acrylate) takes place, as compared to simple electrostatic binding of these ions with poly(sodium styrene sulfonate). Nile red is a sensitive and accurate tool, as an alternative to pyrene, for the characterization of binary polymer/surfactant complexes or for obtaining information on the local arrangement of ternary polymer/surfactant/Cu2+ systems in aqueous solution. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry [source] | ||||||||||