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Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have several biomedical applications. However, the effective usage of these two nanoparticles is impeded due to limited understanding of their interaction with proteins including small heat shock proteins (sHSPs). Specifically, no evidences of interaction of these two nanoparticles with HSP18 (an antigenic protein) which is an important factor for the growth and survival of M. leprae (the causative organism of leprosy) are available in the literature. Here, we report for the first time evidences of "HSP18-AuNPs/AgNPs interaction" and its impact on the structure and chaperone function of HSP18. Interaction of citrate-capped AuNPs/AgNPs (~20 nm diameter) to HSP18 alters the secondary and tertiary structure of HSP18 in a distinctly opposite manner; while "HSP18-AuNPs interaction" leads to oligomeric association, "HSP18-AgNPs interaction" results in oligomeric dissociation of the protein. Surface hydrophobicity, thermal stability, chaperone function of HSP18 and survival of thermally stressed E. coli harbouring HSP18 are enhanced upon AuNPs interaction, while all of them are reduced upon interaction with AgNPs. Altogether, our study reveals that HSP18 is an important drug target in leprosy and its chaperone function may possibly plays a vital role in the growth and survival of M. leprae pathogen in infected hosts.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.02.182 | DOI Listing |
Biomed Pharmacother
September 2025
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma 378, Ethiopia; Division of Research & Development, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara 144411, India. Electronic address:
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterised by cognitive decline and the accumulation of misfolded proteins, including amyloid-beta and hyperphosphorylated tau, which impair neuronal function and promote cell death. These misfolded proteins disrupt proteostasis by forming toxic aggregates that exacerbate disease progression. Molecular chaperones, such as heat shock proteins, actively maintain protein homeostasis by assisting in proper folding, preventing aggregation, and promoting the clearance of misfolded proteins.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMol Genet Genomic Med
September 2025
Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA.
Introduction: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), caused by pathogenic variants in the survival motor neuron (SMN) gene, is the most common genetic cause of mortality in children under the age of two. Prior reports of obstetric sonograms performed in pregnancies with severe forms of fetal SMA have discrepant findings that may stem from a failure to account for the SMN2 copy number.
Methods: We present a neonate diagnosed with SMA type 0 postnatally (0SMN1/1SMN2 genotype).
JCI Insight
September 2025
Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology & Diabetes, and.
Intracellular trafficking of secretory and membrane proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the cell surface, via the secretory pathway, is crucial to the differentiated function of epithelial tissues. In the thyroid gland, a prerequisite for such trafficking is proper protein folding in the ER, assisted by an array of ER molecular chaperones. One of the most abundant of these chaperones, Glucose-Regulated-Protein-170 (GRP170, encoded by Hyou1), is a noncanonical hsp70-like family member.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFZool Res
September 2025
Department of Urology & Andrology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310016, China. E-mail:
Chromatin remodeling and transcriptional reprogramming play critical roles during mammalian meiotic prophase I; however, the precise mechanisms regulating these processes remain poorly understood. Our previous work demonstrated that deletion of heat shock factor 5 (HSF5), a member of the heat shock factor family, induces meiotic arrest and male infertility. However, the molecular pathways through which HSF5 governs meiotic progression have not yet been fully elucidated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDev Comp Immunol
September 2025
Institute of Entomology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China. Electronic address:
The phylum Mollusca is one of the most diverse groups, second only to arthropods, whose production through aquaculture and wild capture is increasing due to its nutritional and economic values, especially its protein availability for human consumption. However, the negative influence caused by pathogen infection and environmental challenges has led to low aquaculture productivity and economic losses for shellfish farmers. Heat shock proteins, as molecular chaperones, contribute to the folding of nascent proteins, environmental adaptation, the immune response, etc.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF