Prospective Cancer Therapies Using Stimuli‐Responsive DNA Nanostructures
Financial support by the Emil Aaltonen Foundation, the Sigrid Jusélius Foundation, the Magnus Ehrnrooth Foundation, Academy of Finland (grants no. 317042 and 331151), the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation and the Vilho, Yrjö and Kalle Väisälä Foundation of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters is gratefully acknowledged Nanostructures based on DNA self-assembly present an innovative way to address the increasing need for target-specific delivery of therapeutic molecules. Currently, most of the chemotherapeutics being used in clinical practice have undesired and exceedingly high off-target toxicity. This is a challenge in particular for small molecules, and hence, developing robust and ef…
Thermodynamic analysis of binding between drugs and glycosaminoglycans by isothermal titration calorimetry and fluorescence spectroscopy
The thermodynamics of the interaction of positively charged drug molecules with negatively charged glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) is investigated by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and fluorescence spectroscopy. The drugs considered are propranolol hydrochloride, tacrine, and aminacrine, and the polymers used as model GAGs are dextran sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, and hyaluronic acid. The ITC results show that the interaction between drugs and GAGs is via direct binding and that GAGs bind to drugs at one set of sites. Large negative values of heat capacity change (DeltaC(p)) are observed upon binding of GAGs to drugs. Such negative DeltaC(p) is not expected for purely electrostatic intera…
Preparation of nanostructures composed of dextran sulfate/ruthenium nanoparticles and their interaction with phospholipid monolayers at a liquid–liquid interface
Abstract Nanostructures composed of dextran sulfate (DS)/ruthenium (Ru) nanoparticles (NPs) adsorbed on phospholipid monolayers at a liquid–liquid interface were prepared and characterized electrochemically in relation to their potential use in drug delivery systems. First, positively charged Ru NPs were prepared, and then negatively charged DS was adsorbed on the surface of the NPs, thus forming well-defined and organized structures, as observed under the transmission electron microscope, which are referred to composite nanoclusters. The lipid monolayers were formed by depositing either 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl- sn -glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine or 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl- sn -glycero-3-phospho- …
Analysis of adsorption of phospholipids at the 1,2-dichloroethane/water interface by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy: A study of the effect of the saturated alkyl chain
Abstract The adsorption behaviour of a series of phosphatidylcholines (PCs) with saturated carbon chains of different length (DLPC, DPPC, DSPC, DAPC, and DBPC) at the electrified 1,2-dichloroethane/water interface was studied by measuring electrochemical impedance spectroscopy at the polarized interface. Two different trends in the interfacial capacitance were observed for any of the PCs the capacity dependence on the applied potential: strong adsorption occurs at negative potential with a marked decrease of C ( E ); increase of capacity is observed at positive potentials. It is demonstrated that the interfacial lipid adsorption was dependent on phospholipid concentration, applied potential…