Novel biomarker panel for colon cancer unveiled by proteomics

Gluconic acid for eco-friendly Ionic Liquids: chemical and biological investigations

Ionic liquids (ILs) are employed in several fields thanks to their well-known properties. For a long time, ILs were considered the “green” alternative to conventional organic solvents.1 However, the increasing attention on environmental health led to consider different ILs structures and alternative synthetic pathways. Considering the tunability of IL structures, new synthetic approaches with natural sources as starting materials were taken into account.2 Here, new eco-friendly ILs were synthesised using gluconic acid. The structures carry gluconic moiety on the cation or as the anion (Figure 1). Hence, several OH groups decrease toxicity and shape a high coordinative site. These new organi…

Fluorescent supramolecular hydrogels for biomedical applications

Human Topoisomerase I interaction with DNA on flexible nylon substrate for malaria diagnosis

The study of interaction between human Topoisomerase I (hTopo I) and the appropriate sequences of DNA is shown, with the aim to realize a biosensor for malaria diagnosis. Topoisomerases alter the topological state of DNA by catalysing the breaking and rejoining of DNA strands1. The ligase activity is fundamental for our biosensing strategy, revealing the pathology. hTopo I was chosen as a model system for the Plasmodium analogous. The biosensor is a new flexible and easy to degrade biochip printed on nylon by dip-pen lithography (DPL). It is realized exploiting the high specificity of complementary ssDNA2 and hTopo I ligase activity. DPL operation needs ultra-low amounts of DNA (0.5 µL) to …

DIFFERENTIAL INFLUENCE OF HYPOXIA ON GENE EXPRESSION OF TUMORAL AND NON TUMORAL MAMMARY CELLS

Cancer metastasis is the result of a series of deregulated biological phenomena, including alterations of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions and of other microenvironmental conditions such as the oxygen tissue supply. Hypoxia is a well-known driver of aggressive cancer phenotypes, indeed tumors with poor prognosis have higher proportions of anoxic and hypoxic areas1. The consequences of tumour hypoxia can be local or even systemic towards distant organs, and it can evoke diversified responses: whereas low oxygen concentration in tissue environments. (pO2 <7 mmHg) exerts anti-proliferative effects and promotes differentiation, apoptosis and/or necrosis on normal cells, the tumoral cells …

In vitro effects of AGNPs exopolysaccharide from Klebsiella Oxytoca DSM29614 on breast cancer cells

Proteomic profiling of Trastuzumab (Herceptin(R))-sensitive and -resistant SKBR-3 breast cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: The Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER-2), overexpressed in 25-30% of breast carcinomas (BC), is the therapeutic target for trastuzumab, a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody. The initial response to trastuzumab is often followed by drug-insensitivity within one year. Several hypotheses have been raised to explain this event, but the mechanisms behind the responses to trastuzumab are still unclear. Aim: To study the effects of short and prolonged trastuzumab treatment on the proteomic profiles of HER-2-overexpressing SKBR-3 BC cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cells were treated with trastuzumab to obtain sensitive and resistant clones. The drug effects were evaluat…

Potentially useful diagnostic and prognostic markers in colon cancer: a proteomic-based investigation

Antibacterial and antitumoral activities of new organotin(IV)-Schiff bases derivatives

This preliminary report shows eight complexes of triorganotin(IV): Ph3SnOH and (CH3)3SnOH with four chelating imines on new synthesis. Of these ligands, two are salen-like (four coordination sites, two imidic, two phenoxidic) [1], one is a tetradentate pyrrole derivative [2] while the fourth, a vita- min B6 derivative, is pentadentate [3]. Ligands have been characterized by means of FT-IR, UV-Vis, Fluorescence, 1H- and 13C-NMR, LC-MS ESI triple quadrupole; complexes by means FT-IR, 1H- and 119Sn-NMR, LC-MS ESI, using the isotopic distribution pattern as a discriminant [4]. Geometry and nature of coordination complexes have been also evaluated using the 119Sn chemical shifts. Solid-state syn…

COMPARATIVE PROTEOMIC PROFILING OF NORMAL AND BREAST CANCER CELLS UNDER HYPOXIC CONDITIONS

influences emanating from the tissue microenvironment, such as cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions and other local pathophysiologic conditions as hypoxia. However the hypoxic effect may be different according to the cell conditions. For example, the low concentration of tissue oxygen (pO2 <7 mmHg) may exert anti-proliferative effects on normal cells and may induce differentiation or apoptosis and necrosis. On the other contrary, tumour cells likely react to hypoxic stress with an adaptive process through modification of gene expression that may confer an aggressive phenotype to cells, promoting their local and distant spread [1]. In general it is believed that hypoxic microenvironments i…

Biological activities of AgNPs-EPS on breast cancer cells in vitro

CYTOTOXIC EFFECTS OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES (AgNPs) BIOSYNTHESIZED FROM KLEBSIELLA OXYTOCA DSM29614 AGAINST BREAST CANCER CELLS

Klebsiella oxytoca DSM 29614 (KO) is a strain that produces, under anaerobic conditions, bacterial exopolysaccharides (EPSs), made of four rhamnose (Rha), two glucuronic acids (GlcA) and one galactose (Gal) bound by α and β glycosidic bonds1,2, showing metal-binding properties3. In particular, KO in the presence of AgNO3 is able to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) incorporated within the EPS (AgNPs-EPS). The AgNPs-EPS, may contain Ag+1 when KO growing in the presence of oxygen and Ag° under anaerobic conditions, giving a different biological activity4. In the present study were evaluated the cytotoxic effects of AgNPs-EPS, produced under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, on breast ca…

Functional investigations of matrix metalloproteinases in breast cancer: focus on MMP9 and MMP2