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Nano-Bio Interaction

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Nanoscience".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2024) | Viewed by 8584

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
College of Natural and Applied Sciences, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO, USA
Interests: yeast; cancer cells; nanoparticles; nanomaterials; transcriptomics; proteomics; metabolomics; nano–bio interaction; nanotoxicology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is true that nanomaterials that already exist or are on the horizon are expanding tremendously in the name of industrial development and human health. One of the things that should accompany this enormous expansion is a thorough investigation of the mechanisms by which these nanomaterials interact with macromolecules at the cellular/tissue/organismal level, in addition to the resulting adverse cellular effects, if any. Multi-omics research, including transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, is long overdue as a research pillar or standard for answering these questions. In addition to these methodologies, it is safe to say that the study of nano-cellular macromolecular interactions at the individual level is a new field of research that is slowly gaining prominence. Therefore, this Special Issue is focused on collecting original research on or reviews of recent advances in the cellular and molecular mechanisms in nanotoxicology.

Prof. Dr. Kyoungtae Kim
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • nano–bio interaction
  • nanotoxicology
  • nanomedicine
  • environmental impact of nanomaterials
  • assessing nanomaterials to human health
  • mechanism(s) of toxicity
  • dispersion of nanomaterials and the impacts
  • transcriptomics
  • proteomics
  • metabolomics
  • epigenetics
  • genomics
  • biochemical characterization of nano–macromolecule interaction

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 5585 KiB  
Article
Functionalized Magnetic Fe3O4 Nanoparticles for Targeted Methotrexate Delivery in Ovarian Cancer Therapy
by Julia Nowak-Jary, Artur Płóciennik and Beata Machnicka
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(16), 9098; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25169098 - 22 Aug 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1731
Abstract
Magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (MNPs) functionalized with (3-aminopropylo)trietoksysilan (APTES) or N-carboxymethylchitosan (CMC) were proposed as nanocarriers of methotrexate (MTX) to target ovarian cancer cell lines. The successful functionalization of the obtained nanostructures was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy. The nanoparticles were characterized [...] Read more.
Magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (MNPs) functionalized with (3-aminopropylo)trietoksysilan (APTES) or N-carboxymethylchitosan (CMC) were proposed as nanocarriers of methotrexate (MTX) to target ovarian cancer cell lines. The successful functionalization of the obtained nanostructures was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy. The nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron spectroscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques. Their potential zeta, magnetization, and hyperthermic properties were also explored. MTX was conjugated with the nanocarriers by ionic bonds or by amide bonds. The drug release kinetics were examined at different pH and temperatures. The MTT assay showed no toxicity of the MNPs[APTES] and MNPs[CMC]. Finally, the cytotoxicity of the nanostructures with MTX attached towards the ovarian cancer cells was measured. The sensitivity and resistance to methotrexate was determined in simplistic 2D and spheroid 3D conditions. The cytotoxicity tests of the tested nanostructures showed similar values for inhibiting the proliferation of ovarian cancer cells as methotrexate in its free form. Conjugating MTX with nanoparticles allows the drug to be directed to the target site using an external magnetic field, reducing overall toxicity. Combining this approach with hyperthermia could enhance the therapeutic effect in vivo compared to free MTX, though further research on advanced 3D models is needed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano-Bio Interaction)
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13 pages, 2938 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Cadmium Selenide Zinc Sulfide Quantum Dots on the Proteomic Profile of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
by Nhi Le, Abhishu Chand, Onyinye Okafor and Kyoungtae Kim
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(22), 16332; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242216332 - 15 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1705
Abstract
Quantum dots (QDs) have been highly sought after in the past few decades for their potential to be used in many biomedical applications. However, QDs’ cytotoxicity is still a major concern that limits the incorporation of QDs into cutting-edge technologies. Thus, it is [...] Read more.
Quantum dots (QDs) have been highly sought after in the past few decades for their potential to be used in many biomedical applications. However, QDs’ cytotoxicity is still a major concern that limits the incorporation of QDs into cutting-edge technologies. Thus, it is important to study and understand the mechanism by which QDs exert their toxicity. Although many studies have explored the cytotoxicity of quantum dots through the transcriptomic level and reactive species generation, the impact of quantum dots on the expression of cellular protein remains unclear. Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism, we studied the effect of cadmium selenide zinc sulfide quantum dots (CdSe/ZnS QDs) on the proteomic profile of budding yeast cells. We found a total of 280 differentially expressed proteins after 6 h of CdSe/ZnS QDs treatment. Among these, 187 proteins were upregulated, and 93 proteins were downregulated. The majority of upregulated proteins were found to be associated with transcription/RNA processing, intracellular trafficking, and ribosome biogenesis. On the other hand, many of the downregulated proteins are associated with cellular metabolic pathways and mitochondrial components. Through this study, the cytotoxicity of CdSe/ZnS QDs on the proteomic level was revealed, providing a more well-rounded knowledge of QDs’ toxicity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano-Bio Interaction)
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17 pages, 3053 KiB  
Article
Interactions between Quantum Dots and G-Actin
by Nhi Le, Abhishu Chand, Emma Braun, Chloe Keyes, Qihua Wu and Kyoungtae Kim
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(19), 14760; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241914760 - 29 Sep 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1758
Abstract
Quantum dots (QDs) are a type of nanoparticle with excellent optical properties, suitable for many optical-based biomedical applications. However, the potential of quantum dots to be used in clinical settings is limited by their toxicity. As such, much effort has been invested to [...] Read more.
Quantum dots (QDs) are a type of nanoparticle with excellent optical properties, suitable for many optical-based biomedical applications. However, the potential of quantum dots to be used in clinical settings is limited by their toxicity. As such, much effort has been invested to examine the mechanism of QDs’ toxicity. Yet, the current literature mainly focuses on ROS- and apoptosis-mediated cell death induced by QDs, which overlooks other aspects of QDs’ toxicity. Thus, our study aimed to provide another way by which QDs negatively impact cellular processes by investigating the possibility of protein structure and function modification upon direct interaction. Through shotgun proteomics, we identified a number of QD-binding proteins, which are functionally associated with essential cellular processes and components, such as transcription, translation, vesicular trafficking, and the actin cytoskeleton. Among these proteins, we chose to closely examine the interaction between quantum dots and actin, as actin is one of the most abundant proteins in cells and plays crucial roles in cellular processes and structural maintenance. We found that CdSe/ZnS QDs spontaneously bind to G-actin in vitro, causing a static quenching of G-actin’s intrinsic fluorescence. Furthermore, we found that this interaction favors the formation of a QD–actin complex with a binding ratio of 1:2.5. Finally, we also found that CdSe/ZnS QDs alter the secondary structure of G-actin, which may affect G-actin’s function and properties. Overall, our study provides an in-depth mechanistic examination of the impact of CdSe/ZnS QDs on G-actin, proposing that direct interaction is another aspect of QDs’ toxicity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano-Bio Interaction)
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Review

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29 pages, 696 KiB  
Review
Root-Applied Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles and Their Specific Effects on Plants: A Review
by Monika Pietrzak, Elżbieta Skiba and Wojciech M. Wolf
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(7), 4018; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25074018 - 4 Apr 2024
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2737
Abstract
With the pronounced increase in nanotechnology, it is likely that biological systems will be exposed to excess nanoparticles (NPs). Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) are among the most abundantly produced nanomaterials in the world. Their widespread use raises fundamental questions related to [...] Read more.
With the pronounced increase in nanotechnology, it is likely that biological systems will be exposed to excess nanoparticles (NPs). Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) are among the most abundantly produced nanomaterials in the world. Their widespread use raises fundamental questions related to the accumulation in the environment and further interactions with living organisms, especially plants. NPs present in either soil or soilless environments are absorbed by the plant root systems and further transported to the aboveground parts. After entering the cytoplasm, NPs interact with chloroplast, nucleus, and other structures responsible for metabolic processes at the cellular level. In recent years, several studies have shown the impact of nanoceria on plant growth and metabolic processes. Research performed on different plants has shown a dual role for CeO2 NPs. The observed effects can be positive or negative and strongly depend on the plant species, characterization, and concentrations of NPs. This review describes the impact of root-applied CeO2 NPs on plant growth, photosynthesis, metal homeostasis, and parameters of induced oxidative stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano-Bio Interaction)
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