Harnessing the synergy of copper nanoparticles and vitamin C towards the resolution of wound infection.

Copper ions have been considered to hold promise for the treatment of wound infections due to their unique characteristics that exhibit not only antibacterial activities through multiple bactericidal mechanisms but also tissue reparative activities by acting as a co-factor for many angiogenic promoters and enzymes. However, higher doses are necessary to achieve sufficient bactericidal and antibiofilm effects. The objective of this study is to develop copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) as an antimicrobial agent by harnessing the characteristics of copper and vitamin C (VC) to form a sustained catalytic cycle, leading to a significant enhancement of bactericidal and antibiofilm effects when compared with the use of CuNPs alone.

Synthesis, structural characterization, and antimicrobial activity of Zn(cloxyquin): towards harnessing zinc intoxication and immune response restoration to combat and .

Zinc is both essential and potentially toxic to microorganisms including pathogenic bacteria. To harness the antimicrobial activity of Zn, use of a suitable Zn ionophore is necessary to facilitate its penetration of the bacterial cell membrane. On the other hand, 5-chloro-8-hydroxyquinoline, also known as cloxyquin, has known antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-protozoal activity and can act as a Zn ionophore.

X-ray and nuclear spectroscopies to reveal the element specific oxidation states and electronic spin states for nanoparticulated manganese cyanidoferrates and analogs.

In this publication, the potential non-gadolinium magnetic resonant imaging agent - the nanoparticulate KMn[Fe(CN)], its comparison sample KFe[Co(CN)], as well as their reference samples were measured and analyzed with Mn, Co and Fe L-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (L XAS). From the information obtained, we conclude that KMn[Fe (CN)] has a high spin (hs)-Mn(II) and a low spin (ls)-Fe(II), while KFe[Co(CN)] has a hs-Fe(II) and a ls-Co(III). In these Prussian blue (PB) analog structures, L XAS also concluded that the hs-Mn(II) in KMn[Fe(CN)] or the hs-Fe(II) in KFe[Co(CN)] is bonding to the N in the [M(CN)] ions [where M = Fe(II) or Co(III)], while the ls-Fe(II) in KMn[Fe(CN)] or the ls-Co(III) in KFe[Co(CN)] is bonding to the C in the [M(CN)] ion, suggesting the complexed metalloligand [Mn(II) or Fe(II)] occupy the N-bound site in PB.

Transferrin-inspired iron delivery across the cell membrane using [(LFe)(μ-O)] (L = chlorquinaldol) to harness anticancer activity of ferroptosis.

Although iron is a bio-essential metal, dysregulated iron acquisition and metabolism result in production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to the Fenton catalytic reaction, which activates ferroptotic cell death pathways. The lipophilic Fe(III)-chelator chlorquinaldol (L; , 5,7-dichloro-8-hydroxy-2-methylquinoline) strongly favors the formation of a highly stable binuclear Fe(III) complex [(LFe)(μ-O)] (1) that can mimic the function of the Fe(III)-transferrin complex in terms of the strong binding to Fe(III) and facile release of Fe(II) when the metal center is reduced. It should be noted that the cellular uptake of 1 is not transferrin receptor-mediated but enhanced by the high lipophilicity of chlorquinaldol.

Development of Biocompatible Ga(HPO) Nanoparticles as an Antimicrobial Agent with Improved Ga Resistance Development Profile against .

Ga(III) can mimic Fe(III) in the biological system due to its similarities in charge and ionic radius to those of Fe(III) and can exhibit antimicrobial activity by disrupting the acquisition and metabolism of Fe in bacterial cells. For example, Ga(NO) has been proven to be effective in treating chronic lung infections by () in cystic fibrosis patients in a recent phase II clinical trial. However, Ga(NO) is an ionic compound that can hydrolyze to form insoluble hydroxides at physiological pH, which not only reduces its bioavailability but also causes potential renal toxicity when it is used as a systemic drug.

Lipophilic Fe(III)-Complex with Potent Broad-Spectrum Anticancer Activity and Ability to Overcome Pt Resistance in A2780cis Cancer Cells.

Although iron is essential for all forms of life, it is also potentially toxic to cells as the increased and unregulated iron uptake can catalyze the Fenton reaction to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to lipid peroxidation of membranes, oxidation of proteins, cleavage of DNA and even activation of apoptotic cell death pathways. We demonstrate that Fe(hinok) (hinok = 2-hydroxy-4-isopropyl-2,4,6-cycloheptatrien-1-one), a neutral Fe(III) complex with high lipophilicity is capable of bypassing the regulation of iron trafficking to disrupt cellular iron homeostasis; thus, harnessing remarkable anticancer activity against a panel of five different cell lines, including Pt-sensitive ovarian cancer cells (A2780; IC = 2.05 ± 0.

Harnessing the Dual Antimicrobial Mechanism of Action with Fe(8-Hydroxyquinoline) to Develop a Topical Ointment for Mupirocin-Resistant MRSA Infections.

8-Hydroxyquinoline (8-hq) exhibits potent antimicrobial activity against (SA) bacteria with MIC = 16.0-32.0 µM owing to its ability to chelate metal ions such as Mn, Zn and Cu to disrupt metal homeostasis in bacterial cells.

Mechanochemical Synthesis of Nanoparticles for Potential Antimicrobial Applications.

There is an increased interest in porous materials due to their unique properties such as high surface area, enhanced catalytic properties, and biological applications. Various solvent-based approaches have been already used to synthesize porous materials. However, the use of large volume of solvents, their toxicity, and time-consuming synthesis make this process less effective, at least in terms of principles of green chemistry.

Europium-151 and iron-57 nuclear resonant vibrational spectroscopy of naturally abundant KEu(III)Fe(II)(CN) and Eu(III)Fe(III)(CN) complexes.

We have performed and analyzed the first combined Eu and Fe nuclear resonant vibrational spectroscopy (NRVS) for naturally abundant KEu(III)[Fe(II)(CN)] and Eu(III)[Fe(III)(CN)] complexes. Comparison of the observed Eu Fe NRVS spectroscopic features confirms that Eu(III) in both KEu(III)[Fe(II)(CN)] and Eu(III)[Fe(III)(CN)] occupies a position outside the [Fe(CN)] core and coordinates to the N atoms of the CN ions, whereas Fe(III) or Fe(II) occupies the site inside the [Fe(CN)] core and coordinates to the C atoms of the CN ions. In addition to the spectroscopic interest, the results from this study provide invaluable insights for the design and evaluation of the nanoparticles of such complexes as potential cellular contrast agents for their use in magnetic resonance imaging.

Harnessing the toxicity of dysregulated iron uptake for killing : reality or mirage?

Iron is essential for all forms of life including pathogenic bacteria. However, iron is also a double-edged sword in biology, as increase of iron uptake can result in reactive oxygen species (ROS)-triggered cell death from the iron-catalyzed Fenton reaction. In this study, we demonstrate that iron-hinokitiol, Fe(hinok), a neutral Fe(III) complex formed with the naturally occurring metal chelator hinokitiol; (2-hydroxy-4-isopropyl-2,4,6-cycloheptatrien-1-one) can harness the clear ability, due to its high lipophilicity and the nonpolar nature, to penetrate the cell membrane of (SA) and exhibit potent antimicrobial activity that is enhanced by approximately 10 000 times as compared with hinokitiol itself.

An aluminum lining to the dark cloud of silver resistance: harnessing the power of potent antimicrobial activity of γ-alumina nanoparticles.

Although a biologically nonessential element in living organisms, aluminum is notably nontoxic to eukaryotic cells and has a venerable history of medicinal use. We demonstrate that polyethylene glycol-coated γ-alumina nanoparticles (AlO-NPs) with an average size of 15 nm prepared from a commercial bulk γ-alumina (γ-AlO) the top-down sonication technique exhibit antibacterial activity that is comparable to that of AgNPs against both the Gram-negative drug-susceptible (DSPA) and multidrug-resistant (DRPA) bacteria, while the antibacterial activity of such AlO-NPs considerably surpasses that of AgNPs against both the Gram-positive methicillin-susceptible (DSSA) and methicillin-resistant (MRSA) bacteria. We also demonstrate that the DSPA bacteria sequentially exposed to AlO-NPs for 30 days show no indication of resistance development.

K Mn [Fe (CN) ] NPs with High T -Relaxivity Attributable to Water Coordination on the Mn(II) Center for Gastrointestinal Tract MR Imaging.

The lack of acid stability in the stomach and of temporal stability when moving through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract has made the development of oral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents based on the platform of Gd -complexes problematic.On the other hand, the negative contrast enhancement produced by the T -weighted magnetic metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) often renders the image readout difficult. Biocompatible NPs of the manganese Prussian blue analog K Mn [Fe (CN) ] exhibit extremely high stability under the acidic conditions of the gastric juice.

Lipophilic Ga Complex with Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Activity and the Ability to Overcome Gallium Resistance in both and .

Antibiotic resistance (AR) necessitates the discovery of new antimicrobials with alternative mechanisms of action to those employed by conventional antibiotics. One such strategy utilizes Ga to target iron metabolism, a critical process for survival. Still, Ga-based therapies are generally ineffective against Gram-positive bacteria and promote Ga resistance.

Cyanide Bridged Platinum-Iron Complexes as Cisplatin Prodrug Systems: Design and Computational Study.

The potential role of cyanide-bridged platinum-iron complexes as an anti-cancer Pt(IV) prodrug is studied. We present design principles of a dual-function prodrug that can upon reduction dissociate and release concurrently six cisplatin units and a ferricyanide anion per prodrug unit. The prodrug molecule is a unique complex of hepta metal centers consisting of a ferricyanide core with six Pt(IV) centers each bonded to the Fe(III) core through a cyano ligand.

Naphthoquinone-derivative as a synthetic compound to overcome the antibiotic resistance of methicillin-resistant S. aureus.

The treatment of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infections has become more difficult due to the emergence of multidrug resistance in the bacteria. Here, we report the synthesis of a lawsone (2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone)-based compound as an antimicrobial agent against methicillin-resistant S.

KCa(H O) [Fe (CN) ]⋅H O Nanoparticles as an Antimicrobial Agent against Staphylococcus aureus.

Biocompatible nanoparticles based on a calcium analogue of Prussian blue were designed and synthesized to take advantage of their ability to penetrate the cell membrane in Staphylococcus aureus and to undergo selective ion exchange with intracellular iron to disrupt iron metabolism in such pathogenic bacteria for antibacterial applications. KCa(H O) [Fe (CN) ]⋅H O nanoparticles penetrate the bacterial cell membrane and sequester intracellular iron by ion exchange to form insoluble Prussian blue, thus inhibiting bacterial growth.

Dielectric and ferroelectric sensing based on molecular recognition in Cu(1,10-phenlothroline)SeO·(diol) systems.

The process of molecular recognition is the assembly of two or more molecules through weak interactions. Information in the process of molecular recognition can be transmitted to us via physical signals, which may find applications in sensing and switching. The conventional signals are mainly limited to light signal.

Incorporation of gallium-68 into the crystal structure of Prussian blue to form K(68)GaxFe1-x[Fe(CN)6] nanoparticles: toward a novel bimodal PET/MRI imaging agent.

Similarity between the Ga(+) ion and the Fe(3+) ion allows for partial replacement of Fe(3+) ions with Ga(3+) ions in the Fe(iii) crystallographic positions in Prussian blue (PB) to form various solid solutions KGaxFe1-x[Fe(CN)6] (0 < x < 1). Such solid solutions possess very high thermodynamic stability as expected from the parent PB structure. Consequently, a simple one-step (68)Ga-labeling method was developed for preparing a single-phase nanoparticulate bimodal PET/MRI imaging agent based on the PB structural platform.

Nanoparticles of gadolinium-incorporated Prussian blue with PEG coating as an effective oral MRI contrast agent for gastrointestinal tract imaging.

Biocompatible nanoparticles of gadolinium-incorporated Prussian blue with the empirical formula K(0.94)Gd(0.02)Fe[Fe(CN)6] exhibit extremely high stability against the release of Gd(3+) and CN(-) ions under the acidic conditions similar to stomach juice.

Adsorption of Lead Ions from Aqueous Phase on Mesoporous Silica with P-Containing Pendant Groups.

Mesoporous silica materials with hydroxyphosphatoethyl pendant groups (POH-MS) were obtained by a two-step process: (1) block copolymer Pluronic P123-templated synthesis of mesoporous silica with diethylphosphatoethyl groups (DP-MS) by co-condensation of diethylphosphatoethyl triethoxysilane (DPTS) and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) under acidic conditions and (2) conversion of diethylphosphatoethyl into hydroxyphosphatoethyl groups upon suitable treatment with concentrated hydrochloric acid. The DP-MS samples obtained by using up to 20% of DPTS featured hexagonally ordered mesopores, narrow pore size distribution and high specific surface area. Conversion of DP-MS to mesoporous silica with hydroxyphosphatoethyl groups (POH-MS) resulted in the enlargement of the specific surface area, total porosity, and microporosity.

Biocompatible D-Penicillamine Conjugated Au Nanoparticles: Targeting Intracellular Free Copper Ions for Detoxification.

High thiophillicicity of the Au-nanoparticle (Au NP) surface leads to covalent attachment of D-penicillamine molecules to Au NPs to form biocompatible D-penicillamine conjugated Au NPs. The latter are highly water-dispersible, exhibit no cytotoxicity, and can readily penetrate the cell membrane to target intracellular free copper ions for selective copper detoxification in the presence of the other divalent essential metal ions including Zn(II), Fe(II), Mn(II), Ca(II), and Mg(II), thus opening up a new avenue for improving the efficacy and pharmacokinetics of D-penicillamine, an important clinical drug currently used to treat the copper overload-related diseases and disorders.

A lead-halide perovskite molecular ferroelectric semiconductor.

Inorganic semiconductor ferroelectrics such as BiFeO3 have shown great potential in photovoltaic and other applications. Currently, semiconducting properties and the corresponding application in optoelectronic devices of hybrid organo-plumbate or stannate are a hot topic of academic research; more and more of such hybrids have been synthesized. Structurally, these hybrids are suitable for exploration of ferroelectricity.