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Multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDR) and bacterial virulence pose significant challenges to global health. Nanotechnology offers exciting possibilities for developing innovative strategies to combat these issues. This study investigates the synergistic effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) to address antibiotic resistance and bacterial virulence. We report the synthesis and characterization of GABA-coated AgNPs (GABAAgNPs) using UV–VIS and infrared spectroscopies, zeta potential, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The interaction between GABAAgNPs and model membranes (large unilamellar vesicles, LUVs) was assessed, revealing the formation of liposomal-bound GABAAgNPs (LPGABAAgNPs). Antimicrobial activity against E. coli ATCC 25922 demonstrated that LPGABAAgNPs exhibit enhanced antibacterial efficacy compared to free GABAAgNPs. These findings suggest that liposomal delivery of GABAAgNPs is a promising approach for optimizing their antibacterial properties. Moreover, incorporating GABA into the nanoparticle system offers the potential to modulate bacterial virulence, providing a multifaceted strategy to combat infection.
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A new decyl chain [-(CH2)9CH3] riboflavin conjugate has been synthesized and investigated. A nucleophilic substitution (SN2) reaction was used for coupling the alkyl chain to riboflavin (Rf), a model natural photosensitizer. As expected, the alkylated compound (decyl-Rf) is significantly more lipophilic than its precursor and efficiently intercalates within phospholipid bilayers, increasing its fluorescence quantum yield. The oxidative damage to lipid membranes photoinduced by decyl-Rf was investigated in large and giant unilamellar vesicles (LUVs and GUVs, respectively) composed of different phospholipids. Using a fluorogenic probe, fast radical formation and singlet oxygen generation was demonstrated upon UVA irradiation in vesicles containing decyl-Rf. Photosensitized formation of conjugated dienes and hydroperoxides, and membrane leakage in LUVs rich in poly-unsaturated fatty acids were also investigated. The overall assessment of the results shows that decyl-Rf is a significantly more efficient photosensitizer of lipids than its unsubstituted precursor and that the association to lipid membranes is key to trigger phospholipid oxidation. Alkylation of hydrophilic photosensitizers as a simple and general synthetic tool to obtain efficient photosensitizers of biomembranes, with potential applications, is discussed.
Assuntos
Fosfolipídeos , Fármacos Fotossensibilizantes , Riboflavina , Lipossomas Unilamelares , AlquilaçãoRESUMO
A new series of decyl chain [-(CH2)9CH3] pterin conjugates have been investigated by photochemical and photophysical methods, and with theoretical solubility calculations. To synthesize the pterins, a nucleophilic substitution (SN2) reaction was used for the regioselective coupling of the alkyl chain to the O site over the N3 site. However, the O-alkylated pterin converts to N3-alkylated pterin under basic conditions, pointing to a kinetic product in the former and a thermodynamic product in the latter. Two additional adducts were also obtained from an N-amine condensation of DMF solvent molecule as byproducts. In comparison to the natural product pterin, the alkyl chain pterins possess reduced fluorescence quantum yields (ΦF) and increased singlet oxygen quantum yields (ΦΔ). It is shown that the DMF-condensed pterins were more photostable compared to the N3- and O-alkylated pterins bearing a free amine group. The alkyl chain pterins efficiently intercalate in large unilamellar vesicles, which is a good indicator of their potential use as photosensitizers in biomembranes. Our study serves as a starting point where the synthesis can be expanded to produce a wider series of lipophilic, photooxidatively active pterins.
Assuntos
Fármacos Fotossensibilizantes/farmacologia , Pterinas/farmacologia , Oxigênio Singlete/química , Alquilação , Fluorescência , Concentração de Íons de Hidrogênio , Interações Hidrofóbicas e Hidrofílicas , Cinética , Fosfolipídeos/química , Fármacos Fotossensibilizantes/química , Pterinas/química , Solubilidade , Solventes/químicaRESUMO
Polybia-MP1 (IDWKKLLDAAKQIL-NH2) is a lytic peptide from the Brazilian wasp venom with known anti-cancer properties. Previous evidence indicates that phosphatidylserine (PS) lipids are relevant for the lytic activity of MP1. In agreement with this requirement, phosphatidylserine lipids are translocated to the outer leaflet of cells, and are available for MP1 binding, depending on the presence of liquid-ordered domains. Here, we investigated the effect of PS on MP1 activity when this lipid is reconstituted in membranes of giant or large liposomes with different lipid-phase states. By monitoring the membrane and soluble luminal content of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), using fluorescence confocal microscopy, we were able to determine that MP1 has a pore-forming activity at the membrane level. Liquid-ordered domains, which were phase-separated within the membrane of GUVs, influenced the pore-forming activity of MP1. Experiments evaluating the membrane-binding and lytic activity of MP1 on large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs), with the same lipid composition as GUVs, demonstrated that there was synergy between liquid-ordered domains and PS, which enhanced both activities. Based on our findings, we propose that the physicochemical properties of cancer cell membranes, which possess a much higher concentration of PS than normal cells, renders them susceptible to MP1 binding and lytic pore formation. These results can be correlated with MP1's potent and selective anti-cancer activity and pave the way for future research to develop cancer therapies that harness and exploit the properties of MP1.
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Peptídeos Catiônicos Antimicrobianos/metabolismo , Membrana Celular/metabolismo , Lipídeos de Membrana/metabolismo , Fosfatidilserinas/metabolismo , Lipossomas Unilamelares/metabolismo , Venenos de Vespas/metabolismo , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Animais , Peptídeos Catiônicos Antimicrobianos/química , Transporte Biológico , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Membrana Celular/química , Colesterol/química , Colesterol/metabolismo , Corantes Fluorescentes/metabolismo , Humanos , Cinética , Lipídeos de Membrana/química , Especificidade de Órgãos , Fosfatidilcolinas/química , Fosfatidilcolinas/metabolismo , Fosfatidilserinas/química , Porosidade , Esfingosina/análogos & derivados , Esfingosina/metabolismo , Lipossomas Unilamelares/química , Venenos de Vespas/química , VespasRESUMO
l-ascorbic acid alkyl esters (ASCn) are lipophilic forms of vitamin C, which maintain some of its antioxidant power. Those properties make this drug family attractive to be used in pharmacological preparations protecting other redox-sensible drugs or designed to reduce possible toxic oxidative processes. In this work, we tested the ability of l-ascorbic acid alkyl esters (ASCn) to modulate the structure, permeability, and rheological properties of phospholipid bilayers. The ASCn studied here (ASC16, ASC14, and ASC12) alter the structural integrity as well as the rheological properties of phospholipid membranes without showing any evident detergent activity. ASC14 appeared as the most efficient drug in destabilize the membrane structure of nano- and micro-size phospholipid liposomes inducing vesicle content leakage and shape elongation on giant unilamellar vesicles. It also was the most potent enhancer of membrane microviscosity and surface water structuring. Only ASC16 induced the formation of drug-enriched condensed domains after its incorporation into the lipid bilayer, while ASC12 appeared as the less membrane-disturbing compound, likely because of its poor, and more superficial, partition into the membrane. We also found that incorporation of ASCn into the lipid bilayers enhanced the reduction of membrane components, compared with soluble vitamin C. Our study shows that ASCn compounds, which vary in the length of the acyl chain, show different effects on phospholipid vesicles used as biomembrane models. Those variances may account for subtly differences in the effectiveness on their pharmacological applications.
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Ácido Ascórbico/análogos & derivados , Ácido Ascórbico/química , Membranas Artificiais , Modelos Químicos , Fosfolipídeos/químicaRESUMO
This report presents evidence that the following Solanum steroids: solasodine, diosgenin and solanine interact with human erythrocytes and molecular models of their membranes as follows: a) X-ray diffraction studies showed that the compounds at low molar ratios (0.1-10.0mol%) induced increasing structural perturbation to dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine bilayers and to a considerable lower extent to those of dimyristoylphosphatidylethanolamine; b) differential scanning calorimetry data showed that the compounds were able to alter the cooperativity of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine, dimyristoylphosphatidylethanolamine and dimyristoylphosphatidylserine phase transitions in a concentration-dependent manner; c) in the presence of steroids, the fluorescence of Merocyanine 540 incorporated to the membranes decreased suggesting a fluidization of the lipid system; d) scanning electron microscopy observations showed that all steroids altered the normal shape of human erythrocytes inducing mainly echinocytosis, characterized by the formation of blebs in their surfaces, an indication that their molecules are located into the outer monolayer of the erythrocyte membrane.
Assuntos
Diosgenina/química , Membrana Eritrocítica/química , Bicamadas Lipídicas/química , Alcaloides de Solanáceas/química , Solanina/química , Varredura Diferencial de Calorimetria , Dimiristoilfosfatidilcolina/química , Diosgenina/farmacologia , Membrana Eritrocítica/efeitos dos fármacos , Corantes Fluorescentes/química , Humanos , Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura , Transição de Fase/efeitos dos fármacos , Fosfatidiletanolaminas/química , Fosfatidilserinas/química , Pirimidinonas/química , Espalhamento a Baixo Ângulo , Alcaloides de Solanáceas/farmacologia , Solanina/farmacologia , Difração de Raios XRESUMO
In the present work we have analyzed the effect of StAsp-PSI (plant-specific insert of potato aspartic protease) on the structural and thermotropic properties of the major phospholipid types of bacterial and animal cells. Results obtained suggest that StAsp-PSI induces a destabilization of the membrane bilayers, depending on the time of interaction between the protein and the bilayers, rather than on its concentration. This temporal delay would be consistent with a lateral diffusion of StAsp-PSI monomers to assemble into aggregates to form pores. Like with the results previously reported for the StAsp-PSI circular dichroism, data obtained here from IR spectroscopy show that there are slight changes in the StAsp-PSI secondary structure in the presence of lipid membranes; suggesting that these changes could be related with the StAsp-PSI self-association. Results obtained from steady-state fluorescence anisotropy and differential scanning calorimetry assays suggest that StAsp-PSI interacts with both uncharged and negatively charged phospholipids, modulates the phase polymorphic behavior of model membranes and partitions and buries differentially in the membrane depending on the presence of negatively charged phospholipids.