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Testing of black-carrots-derived fluorescence imaging and anti-metastatic potential
(Elsevier, 2024) Algarra González, Manuel; Carrillo, Celia; Nesic, Maja D.; Filipovic Trickovic, Jelena; Zakula, Jelena; Koricanac, Lela; Jiménez-Jiménez, José; Rodríguez-Castellón, Enrique; Bandosz, Teresa J.; Petkovic, Marijana; Soto, Juan; Ciencias; Zientziak; Institute for Advanced Materials and Mathematics - INAMAT2
This paper explains the basis for the excitation energy-independent fluorescence emission of biomass-derived carbon dots (CDs) and shows that these CDs have excellent anti-melanoma and anti-metastatic potential. Additionally, we demonstrate that the black carrots´-derived CDs can be exploited as cell cycle-sensing agents, because of the interaction with chromatin material. Besides their optical properties, fluorescent CDs have gained increased attention for image-guided cancer treatment due to their water solubility, environmental friendliness, affordability, ease of synthesis, and primary biocompatibility. CDs have excellent photostability, determined by their precursors and synthesis pathways. In this study, CDs with chemically homogenous surface functional groups were made using a hydrothermal technique from black carrot extract, an anthocyanin-rich substance derived from biomass. The anti-cancer and anti-metastatic properties of black carrot-derived CDs can be attributed to flavylium cations on the surface, spherical forms, and high water dispersibility. Most importantly, these CDs demonstrate a stable emission at a single wavelength, 612 nm, independent of the excitation energy, which we have explained theoretically for the first time.
Open Access
Prediction of protein targets in ovarian cancer using a ru-complex and carbon dot drug delivery therapeutic nanosystems: a bioinformatics and µ-FTIR spectroscopy approach
(MDPI, 2024) Nesic, Maja D.; Dučić, Tanja; Gemović, Branislava; Senćanski, Milan; Algarra González, Manuel; Gonçalves, Mara; Stepic, Milutin; Popovic, Iva; Kapuran, Đorđe; Petkovic, Marijana; Ciencias; Zientziak; Institute for Advanced Materials and Mathematics - INAMAT2
We predicted the protein therapeutic targets specific to a Ru-based potential drug and its combination with pristine and N-doped carbon dot drug delivery systems, denoted as RuCN/CDs and RuCN/N-CDs. Synchrotron-based FTIR microspectroscopy (µFTIR) in addition to bioinformatics data on drug structures and protein sequences were applied to assess changes in the protein secondary structure of A2780 cancer cells. µFTIR revealed the moieties of the target proteins’ secondary structure changes only after the treatment with RuCN and RuCN/N-CDs. A higher content of α-helices and a lower content of β-sheets appeared in A2780 cells after RuCN treatment. Treatment with RuCN/N-CDs caused a substantial increase in parallel β-sheet numbers, random coil content, and tyrosine residue numbers. The results obtained suggest that the mitochondrion-related proteins NDUFA1 and NDUFB5 are affected by RuCN either via overexpression or stabilisation of helical structures. RuCN/N-CDs either induce overexpression of the β-sheet-rich protein NDUFS1 and affect its random coil structure or interact and stabilise its structure via hydrogen bonding between -NH2 groups from N-CDs with protein C=O groups and –OH groups of serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues. The N-CD nanocarrier tunes this drug’s action by directing it toward a specific protein target, changing this drug’s coordination ability and inducing changes in the protein’s secondary structures and function.
Open Access
Lipid status of A2780 ovarian cancer cells after treatment with ruthenium complex modified with carbon dot nanocarriers: a multimodal SR-FTIR spectroscopy and MALDI TOF Mass Spectrometry Study MALDI TOF Mass Spectrometry Study
(MDPI, 2022) Nesic, Maja D.; Dučić, Tanja; Algarra González, Manuel; Popovic, Iva; Stepic, Milutin; Gonçalves, Mara; Petkovic, Marijana; Zientziak; Institute for Advanced Materials and Mathematics - INAMAT2; Ciencias
In the last decade, targeting membrane lipids in cancer cells has been a promising approach that deserves attention in the field of anticancer drug development. To get a comprehensive understanding of the effect of the drug [Ru(¿5-Cp)(PPh3)2CN] (RuCN) on cell lipidic components, we combine complementary analytical approaches, matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF MS) and synchrotron radiation-based Fourier transform infrared (SR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Techniques are used for screening the effect of potential metallodrug, RuCN, without and with drug carriers (carbon dots (CDs) and nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs)) on the lipids of the human ovarian cancer cell line A2780. MALDI TOF MS results revealed that the lysis of ovarian cancer membrane lipids is promoted by RuCN and not by drug carriers (CDs and N-CDs). Furthermore, SR-FTIR results strongly suggested that the phospholipids of cancer cells undergo oxidative stress after the treatment with RuCN that was accompanied by the disordering of the fatty acid chains. On the other hand, using (N-)CDs as RuCN nanocarriers prevented the oxidative stress caused by RuCN but did not prevent the disordering of the fatty acid chain packing. Finally, we demonstrated that RuCN and RuCN/(N-)CDs alter the hydration of the membrane surface in the membrane—water interface region.

Algarra González, Manuel

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