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Received: 18.01.23. Revised: 05.02.23. Accepted: 10.02.23. Available online: 20.02.23. Thiazole-hydrazone conjugates were synthesized. Biological efficacy of the synthesized compounds was determined. Solvatochromic properties were evaluated in ten different solvents. Structures were characterized by using various analytical techniques. Quantum chemical parameters were evaluated using a DFT study. In the present work, we have synthesized thiazole-hydrazone conjugates 5(a–h) and characterized them using various analytical techniques such as UV, IR, NMR, and mass spectrometry. Solvatochromic properties were evaluated in ten solvents with different polarity and quantum chemical arameters using a DFT study. The antibacterial activity results revealed that compounds 5c, 5d and 5g exhibited good efficacy and that the remaining compounds displayed significant activity. The synthesized compounds were screened for their cytotoxic activity against HepG2 and MCF-7 cell lines, and all the synthesized compounds exhibited significant potency towards the screened cancer cell lines. The anti-inflammatory efficacy of the synthesized thiazole derivatives was determined against MMP-2 and MMP-9, and some of the compounds showed significant activity. Furthermore, the in silico molecular docking was performed with the COX-2 receptor.

Isatin–quinoline conjugates 10a–f and 11a–f were assembled by the reaction of N-(bromobutyl) isatin derivatives 3a, b with aminoquinolines 6a–c and their corresponding hydrazinyl 9a–c in good yields. The structures of the resulting conjugates were established by spectroscopic tools and showed data consistent with the proposed structures. In vitro antibacterial activity against different bacterial strains was evaluated. All tested conjugates showed significant biocidal activity with lower MIC than the first line drugs chloramphenicol and ampicillin. Conjugates 10a, 10b and 10f displayed the most potent activity against all clinical isolates. The antibiofilm activity for all tested conjugates was screened against the reference drug vancomycin using the MRSA strain. The results revealed that all conjugates had an inhibitory activity against biofilm formation and conjugate. Conjugate 11a showed 83.60% inhibition at 10 mg/mL. In addition, TEM studies were used to prove the mechanism of antibacterial action of conjugates 10a and 11a against (MRSA). Modeling procedures were performed on 10a–f and 11a–f and interestingly the results were nearly consistent with the biological activities. In addition, in silico pharmacokinetic evaluation was performed and revealed that the synthesized compounds 10a–f and 11a–f were considered drug-like molecules with promising bioavailability and high GI absorption. The results confirmed that the title compounds caused the disruption of bacterial cell membranes and could be used as potential leads for the further development and optimization of antibacterial agents.

The development of multi-target-directed ligands (MTDLs) would provide effective therapy of neurodegenerative diseases (ND) with complex and nonclear pathogenesis. A promising method to create such potential drugs is combining neuroactive pharmacophoric groups acting on different biotargets involved in the pathogenesis of ND. We developed a synthetic algorithm for the conjugation of indole derivatives and methylene blue (MB), which are pharmacophoric ligands that act on the key stages of pathogenesis. We synthesized hybrid structures and performed a comprehensive screening for a specific set of biotargets participating in the pathogenesis of ND (i.e., cholinesterases, NMDA receptor, mitochondria, and microtubules assembly). The results of the screening study enabled us to find two lead compounds (4h and 4i) which effectively inhibited cholinesterases and bound to the AChE PAS, possessed antioxidant activity, and stimulated the assembly of microtubules. One of them (4i) exhibited activity as a ligand for the ifenprodil-specific site of the NMDA receptor. In addition, this lead compound was able to bypass the inhibition of complex I and prevent calcium-induced mitochondrial depolarization, suggesting a neuroprotective property that was confirmed using a cellular calcium overload model of neurodegeneration. Thus, these new MB-cycloalkaneindole conjugates constitute a promising class of compounds for the development of multitarget neuroprotective drugs which simultaneously act on several targets, thereby providing cognitive stimulating, neuroprotective, and disease-modifying effects.

Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) represent a growing public concern for clinicians to manage in many medical settings, with substantial associated morbidities and mortalities. Among many current therapeutic options for the treatment of IFIs, amphotericin B (AmB) is the most frequently used drug. AmB is considered as a first-line drug in the clinic that has strong antifungal activity and less resistance. In this review, we summarized the most promising research efforts on nanocarriers for AmB delivery and highlighted their efficacy and safety for treating IFIs. We have also discussed the mechanism of actions of AmB, rationale for treating IFIs, and recent advances in formulating AmB for clinical use. Finally, this review discusses some practical considerations and provides recommendations for future studies in applying AmB for combating IFIs., Graphical abstract Amphotericin B (AmB), placed in BCS class IV with low solubility and permeability, is a commonly used drug to combat Invasive fungal infections. In this review, research efforts on nanocarriers to improve AmB delivery are summarized.Image 1

Saporin is a type 1 ribosome-inactivating protein widely used as toxic payload in the construction of targeted toxins, chimeric molecules formed by a toxic portion linked to a carrier moiety. Among the most used carriers, there are large molecules (mainly antibodies) and small molecules (such as neurotransmitters, growth factors and peptides). Some saporin-containing targeted toxins have been used for the experimental treatment of several diseases, giving very promising results. In this context, one of the reasons for the successful use of saporin lies in its resistance to proteolytic enzymes and to conjugation procedures. In this paper, we evaluated the influence of derivatization on saporin using three heterobifunctional reagents, namely 2-iminothiolane (2-IT), N-succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate (SPDP) and 4-succinimidyloxycarbonyl-α-methyl-α-[2-pyridyldithio]toluene (SMPT). In order to obtain the highest number of inserted -SH groups with the lowest reduction of saporin biological activities, we assessed the residual ability of saporin to inhibit protein synthesis, to depurinate DNA and to induce cytotoxicity after derivatization. Our results demonstrate that saporin maintains an excellent resistance to derivatization processes, especially with SPDP, and permit us to define reaction conditions, in which saporin biological properties may not be altered. Therefore, these findings provide useful information for the construction of saporin-based targeted toxins, especially with small carriers.

Azulene is an aromatic hydrocarbon that possesses a unique chemical structure and interesting biological properties. Azulene derivatives, including guaiazulene or chamazulene, occur in nature as components of many plants and mushrooms, such as Matricaria chamomilla, Artemisia absinthium, Achillea millefolium, and Lactarius indigo. Due to physicochemical properties, azulene and its derivatives have found many potential applications in technology, especially in optoelectronic devices. In medicine, the ingredients of these plants have been widely used for hundreds of years in antiallergic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory therapies. Herein, the applications of azulene, its derivatives and their conjugates with biologically active compounds are presented. The potential use of these compounds concerns various areas of medicine, including anti-inflammatory with peptic ulcers, antineoplastic with leukemia, antidiabetes, antiretroviral with HIV-1, antimicrobial, including antimicrobial photodynamic therapy, and antifungal.

Allobetulin is structurally similar tobetulinic acid, inducing the apoptosis of cancer cells with low toxicity. However, both of them exhibited weak antiproliferation against several tumor cell lines. Therefore, the new series of allobetulon/allobetulin–nucleoside conjugates 9a–10i were designed and synthesized for potency improvement. Compounds 9b, 9e, 10a, and 10d showed promising antiproliferative activity toward six tested cell lines, compared to zidovudine, cisplatin, and oxaliplatin based on their antitumor activity results. Among them, compound 10d exhibited much more potent antiproliferative activity against SMMC-7721, HepG2, MNK-45, SW620, and A549 human cancer cell lines than cisplatin and oxaliplatin. In the preliminary study for the mechanism of action, compound 10d induced cell apoptosis and autophagy in SMMC cells, resulting in antiproliferation and G0/G1 cell cycle arrest by regulating protein expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2, and LC3. Consequently, the nucleoside-conjugated allobetulin (10d) evidenced that nucleoside substitution was a viable strategy to improve allobetulin/allobetulon’s antitumor activity based on our present study.

The possibility of characterizing fluorescent immunoglobulins using spectrophotometric analysis as a testing method is considered. The comparative analysis of optical properties of fluorescent immunoglobulin preparations and their components—immunoglobulins and fluorochrome—is carried out. The obtained results testify that the proposed methodological approach of optical detection of labeled immunoglobulin molecules can be promising for tests on obtaining conjugates used in immunological tests on revealing specific antigens of causative agents of especially dangerous infections.

The effects of Maillard Reaction Products (MRPs) obtained from fish gelatin hydrolysates and D-glucose conjugation on the techno-functional characteristics of fish gelatin films were investigated, and the antioxidant effects were measured. MRPs were added to a gelatin solution at different concentrations (5-30% of the gelatin weight). The results revealed that the addition of the MRPs changed the film thickness from 0.15 mm (control) to 0.199 mm (film containing 30% MRPs). Some parameters including density, opacity, and color (ΔE) of the films were directly related to the MRPs concentration. Unlike these parameters, the solubility of the samples was not significantly altered, and the degree of swelling was indirectly changed owing to the MRPs addition. The results also indicated that the MRPs could dramatically decrease the water vapor permeability and oxygen permeability. The viscosity and mechanical properties of the films were increased as the MRPs concentration increased. The UV protective and the DPPH radical scavenging activities of the films were positively related to the MRPs concentration. The control sample (8.71 mg/mL) and the sample containing 30% MRPs (IC50 at 1.72 mg/mL) showed the lowest and highest antioxidant activities, respectively. The results of this study revealed that a fish gelatin film containing MRPs could be used as an active film in food packaging.

L-asparaginase Rhodospirillum rubrum (RrA) is an enzyme (amidohydrolases; EC 3.5.1.1) that catalyzes the L-asparagine hydrolysis reaction to form L-aspartic acid. Due to the shortcomings of existing L-asparaginases from Esherichia coli (EcA) and Erwinia chrysanthemi (ErA), RrA may turn out to be a new promising drug for the treatment of leukemia. RrA has a low homology with EcA and ErA, which makes the enzyme potentially less immunogenic. RrA has pronounced antitumor activity on a number of leukemia cells. However, there is a need to improve the biocatalytic properties of the enzyme. So, in this study, the RrA conjugates with polyamines with different molecular architectures were developed to regulate the catalytic properties of the enzyme. Linear polyethyleneimine (PEI), branched polyethyleneimine, modified with polyethylene glycol (PEI-PEG), and spermine (Spm) were used to obtain conjugates with RrA. It was discovered by gel permeation chromatography that Spm allows the most active tetrameric form of RrA to be obtained and stabilized. Molecular docking was used to study the binding of spermine to RrA subunits. The activity of the RrA conjugates with Spm and PEI-PEG was 23–30% higher than the native enzyme. The pH optimum of the conjugates shifted from 9.0 to 8.5. The conjugates had higher stability: Spm and PEI-PEG reduced the inactivation constant (kin) more than two-fold upon incubation at 53 °С. The conjugate RrA-PEI-PEG reduced the accessibility of trypsin to the protein surface and reduced kin by eight times. The modification of RrA with polyamines made it possible to obtain enzyme preparations with improved biocatalytic properties. These conjugates represent interest for further study as potential therapeutic agents.

Carbohydrates are important components of foods and essential biomolecules performing various biological functions in living systems. A variety of biological activities besides providing fuel have been explored and reported for carbohydrates. Some carbohydrates have been approved for the treatment of various diseases; however, carbohydrate-containing drugs represent only a small portion of all of the drugs on the market. This review summarizes several potential development directions of carbohydrate-containing therapeutics, with the hope of promoting the application of carbohydrates in drug development.

The overuse of antibiotics has led to the emergence of resistant bacteria. A good alternative is silver nanoparticles, which have antibacterial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, including multidrug-resistant strains. Their combination with already known antibiotics has a synergistic effect. In this work, we studied the synthesis of conjugates of silver nanoparticles with two antibiotics, lincomycin and cefazolin. Albumin and glutathione were used as spacer shells with functional groups. The physicochemical properties of the obtained conjugates, their cytotoxicity and synergism of antimicrobial activity were studied. The 50% antimicrobial activity of the obtained samples was shown, which allows them to be recommended for use as topical drug preparations.

Molecular hybridization consists of the combination of two or more non-identical pharmacophores in a single molecule. It has emerged as a promising strategy that allows the design of molecular frameworks with enhanced activity and affinity compared to their parent drugs. In this work, two novel hybrids that combine the well-known anticancer chemotherapeutic agent 5-fluorouracil with antioxidant coumarin derivatives have been synthesized and characterized by means of a copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC). The conjugates showed good antioxidant properties and a high tendency to aggregate and form stable nanoparticles in aqueous media, with regular shape and uniform size. These materials have proven to be preferential cytotoxic agents in vitro against human pancreatic cancer cells PANC-1, with an activity superior to free 5-fluorouracil. These results open up the possibility of exploiting the synergistic combination between 5-fluorouracil and coumarin derivatives and warrant further investigation of these hybrids as promising pancreatic anticancer agents.

Human serum albumin (HSA) is efficiently taken up by cancer cells as a source of carbon and energy. In this study, we prepared a monomodified derivative of HSA covalently linked to an EDTA derivative and investigated its efficacy to shuttle weakly anti-proliferative EDTA associating ligands such as vanadium, into a cancer cell line. HSA-S-MAL-(CH2)2-NH-CO-EDTA was found to associate both with the vanadium anion (+5) and the vanadium cation (+4) with more than thrice the associating affinity of those ligands toward EDTA. Both conjugates internalized into glioma tumor cell line via caveolae-mediated endocytosis pathway and showed potent anti-proliferative capacities. IC50 values were in the range of 0.2 to 0.3 µM, potentiating the anti-proliferative efficacies of vanadium (+4) and vanadium (+5) twenty to thirty fold, respectively. HSA-EDTA-VO++ in particular is a cancer permeable prodrug conjugate. The associated vanadium (+4) is not released, nor is it active anti-proliferatively prior to its engagement with the cancerous cells. The bound vanadium (+4) dissociates from the conjugate under acidic conditions with half maximal value at pH 5.8. In conclusion, the anti-proliferative activity feature of vanadium can be amplified and directed toward a cancer cell line. This is accomplished using a specially designed HSA-EDTA-shuttling vehicle, enabling vanadium to be anti-proliferatively active at the low micromolar range of concentration.

Fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled insulin (FITC-insulin) has been widely used for bioanalytical applications. Due to the high cost of commercial FITC-insulin and tedious labeling procedures described in the literature, there is still a need to develop a cost effective, reliable and quick labeling method for insulin. The purpose of the present work was to develop a quick and affordable method for FITC labeling of human insulin and to determine the effect of different conjugations of FITC to human insulin on its permeability through the MDCK cell monolayer. FITC labeling of insulin gives mono-, di- or tri-conjugates depending on the reaction time and the molar ratio of FITC:insulin. Mono-conjugate with unlabeled insulin, mixture of di- and tri-conjugate, and tri-conjugate with very little amount of di-conjugate were synthesized in less than 4 h. Degree of conjugation had an effect on the permeability of insulin through the MDCK cell monolayer. Mono-conjugate had higher permeability than the unlabeled insulin due to increase in partition coefficient. However, tri-conjugate showed lower permeability than the unlabeled insulin due to the increase in molecular weight., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • Quick and simple labeling method for FITC labeling of insulin. • First report on the effect of different conjugation on the permeability of FITC-insulin across a biological membrane. • FITC conjugation changes the partition coefficient of insulin. • FITC conjugation affects the permeability of insulin.

Fish are exposed to numerous stressors in the environment including pollution, bacterial and viral agents, and toxic substances. Our study with common carps leveraged an integrated approach (i.e., histology, biochemical and hematological measurements, and analytical chemistry) to understand how cyanobacteria interfere with the impact of a model viral agent, Carp sprivivirus (SVCV), on fish. In addition to the specific effects of a single stressor (SVCV or cyanobacteria), the combination of both stressors worsens markers related to the immune system and liver health. Solely combined exposure resulted in the rise in the production of immunoglobulins, changes in glucose and cholesterol levels, and an elevated marker of impaired liver, alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Analytical determination of the cyanobacterial toxin microcystin-LR (MC-LR) and its structurally similar congener MC-RR and their conjugates showed that SVCV affects neither the levels of MC in the liver nor the detoxification capacity of the liver. MC-LR and MC-RR were depurated from liver mostly in the form of cysteine conjugates (MC-LR-Cys, MC-RR-Cys) in comparison to glutathione conjugates (LR-GSH, RR-GSH). Our study brought new evidence that cyanobacteria worsen the effect of viral agents. Such inclusion of multiple stressor concept helps us to understand how and to what extent the relevant environmental stressors co-influence the health of the fish population.

The study examined the potential nutritive value of rice protein (RP) through Maillard reaction. Structures and properties of synthetic conjugates of RP and exopolysaccharide (EPS) from Arthrobacter ps‐5 were investigated systematically. Fluorescence characteristics and high molecular weight compounds appeared in Maillard reaction products (MRPs). Moreover, EPS or its degradation products in the form of covalent bond cross‐linked with RP were identified, where –NH2 disappeared and C=O, C=N and C–N increased. Determination of free –SH residues suggested mutual conversion between disulfide bonds and sulfhydryl groups occurred during Maillard reaction. HPLC analysis identified conjugates with different molecular weight, where melanoprotein was formed by covalent bonds. As RP conjugated with EPS, the molecules spread out and changed the spatial structure. Functional properties of MRPs, including solubility, foaming activity, emulsifying ability and resistance to oxidation, were greatly improved. The study has discovered an efficient method for increasing the application value of plant protein., The rice protein and exopolysaccharide were grafted by Maillard reaction and the structural changes and functional properties of the Maillard reaction products were studied. Functional properties of MRPs, including solubility, foaming activity, emulsifying ability, and resistance to oxidation, were greatly improved. The study provided an efficient method for increasing the application value of plant protein.

This study presents absorbance of formazan product (converted from MTT) which corresponds the cytotoxicity of QDgreen-holo-Tf-C-2028 and QDred-holo-Tf-C-2028 aginst H460 cancer cells (method of synthesis 2). Holo-Tf (transferrin) was used as a linker between quantum dots (QDs) and compound (C-2028).

This study presents absorbance values of formazan product (converted from MTT) which corresponds the cytotoxicity of C-2028, QDgreen-FA, QDred-FA, QDgreen-FA-C-2028 and QDred-FA-C-2028 aginst H460 cancer cells. FA (folic acid) was used as a linker between quantum dots (QDs) and compound (C-2028) at different concentration (50-200 µM).

Analytical data (NMR, MS, FTIR) for nine conjugates of molecular umbrella with cispentacin, Lys(Mca) or Nap-NH2. The conjugates have been rationally designed as potential antifungal agents. 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectra were obtained at 500 MHz Varian Unity Plus spectrometer and the deuterated solvents were used as internal locks. High-resolution mass spectra were obtained using the Aqilent Technologies 6540 UHD Accurate – Mass Q-TOF LC/MS mass spectrometer.

This study presents absorbance of formazan product (converted from MTT) which corresponds the cytotoxicity of QDgreen-holo-Tf-C-2028 and QDred-holo-Tf-C-2028 aginst H460 cancer cells (method of synthesis 3). Holo-Tf (transferrin) was used as a linker between quantum dots (QDs) and compound (C-2028).

In an effort to combine the anti‐proliferative effect of CUR‐BF2 and CUR compounds with anti‐inflammatory benefits of non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), a library of the bis‐ and mono‐NSAID/CUR‐BF2 and NSAID/CUR conjugates were synthesized by coupling flufenamic acid, flurbiprofen, naproxen, indomethacin, and ibuprofen to diversely substituted hydroxy‐benzaldehydes via an ester linkage, and by subsequent reaction with acetylacetone‐BF2 to form the bis‐ and the mono‐NSAID/CUR‐BF2 adducts. Since conversion to NSAID/CUR by the previously developed decomplexation protocol showed limited success, a set of NSAID/CUR conjugates were independently prepared by directly coupling the NSAIDs with parent curcumin. The bis‐NSAID/CUR‐BF2 and bis‐NSAID‐CUR hybrids exhibited low cytotoxicity in NCI‐60 assay, and in independent cell viability assay on colorectal cancer (CRC) cells (HCT116, HT29, DLD‐1, RKO, SW837, CaCo2) and in normal CR cells (CCD841CoN). By contrast, the mono‐naproxin and mono‐flurbiprofen CUR‐BF2 adducts exhibited remarkable anti‐proliferative and apoptopic activity in NCI‐60 assay most notably against HCT‐116 (colon), OVCAR‐3 (ovarian), and ACHN (renal) cells. Computational molecular docking calculations showed favorable binding energies to HER2, VEGFR2, BRAF, and Bcl‐2 as well as to COX‐1 and COX‐2, which in several cases exceeded known inhibitors. The main interactions between the ligands and the proteins were hydrophobic, although several hydrogen bonds were also observed. A sub‐set of six compounds that had exhibited little or no cytotoxicity were tested for their anti‐inflammatory response with THP‐1 human macrophages in comparison to parent NSAIDs or parent curcumin., Curcumin conjugates of non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAID) were synthesized and characterized. Whereas the bis‐NSAID conjugates exhibited low anti‐proliferative activity, the mono‐NSAID/CUR‐BF2 compounds showed remarkable cytotoxicity/apoptotic activity. Various hybrid compounds exhibited favorable binding energies to HER2, VEGFR2, BRAF, Bcl‐2, COX‐1, and to COX‐2. A subset of the bis‐flufenamic acid/CUR conjugates exhibited better anti‐inflammatory response relative to parent NSAIDs with THP‐1 human macrophages.

While deferoxamine (DFO) has long been used as an FDA-approved iron chelator, its proangiogenesis ability attracts increasing number of research interests. To address its drawbacks such as short plasma half-life and toxicity, polymeric conjugated strategy has been proposed and shown superiority. Owing to intravenous injection and application in blood-related conditions, however, the blood interactions and antioxidation of the DFO-conjugates and the mechanisms underlying these outcomes remain to be elucidated. In this regard, incubating with three different molecular-weight (MW) alginate-DFO conjugates (ADs) red blood cells (RBCs), coagulation system, complement and platelet were investigated. To prove the antioxidant activity of ADs, we used hemoglobin oxidation model in vitro. ADs did not cause RBCs hemolysis while reversible aggregation and normal deformability ability were observed. However, the coagulation time, particularly APTT and TT, were significantly prolonged in a dose-dependent manner, and fibrinogen was dramatically decreased, suggesting ADs could dominantly inhibit the intrinsic pathways in the process of coagulation. The dose-dependent anticoagulation might be related with the functional groups along the alginate chains. The complements, C3a and C5a, were activated by ADs in a dose-dependent manner through alternative pathway. For platelet, ADs slightly suppressed the activation and aggregation at low concentration. Based on above results, the cross-talking among coagulation, complement and platelet induced by ADs was proposed. The antioxidation of ADs through iron chelation was proved and the antioxidant activity was shown in a MW-dependent manner.

A convenient and efficient synthesis of new triazole β-lactam conjugates using click chemistry is described. β-lactam 15 and 16 were prepared using cycloaddition strategy and propargylated at N-1 to afford compounds 17 and 18. Cu-catalyzed click reaction of these β-lactams 17 and 18 with different aryl azides provided 1,2,3-triazole conjugates 6 and 7, respectively. The products were fully characterized spectroscopically and tested against Gram-(+) and Gram-(-) bacteria. Compound 7a and 7c were found to be most active., Pharmaceutical chemistry; Microbiology, Triazole; Beta-lactam; Conjugates; Antibacterial assay.

The health effects of green tea are associated with catechins: (−)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG), (−)-epigallocatechin, (−)-epicatechin-3-O-gallate, and (−)-epicatechin. An understanding of compound absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity characteristics is essential for explaining its biological activities. Herein, absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity properties of in vivo detected metabolites of green tea catechins (GTCs) have been analyzed in silico. The influence of metabolic transformations on absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion profiles of GTCs corresponds to the effects of size, charge, and lipophilicity, as already observed for other small molecules. Mutagenic, carcinogenic, or liver toxic effects were predicted only for a few metabolites. Similar to galloylated GTCs EGCG and (--)-epicatechin-3-O-gallate, the sulfo-conjugates were predicted to bind at the warfarin binding site. The low free plasma concentration of these derivatives may be consequential to their serum albumin binding. The activity cliff detected for methylated conjugates of EGCG indicates that GTCs' pro-oxidative activity in bound state comes primarily from free hydroxyl groups of the pyrogallol ring B.

This review is aimed to provide extensive survey of quinolones and fluoroquinolones for a variety of applications ranging from metal complexes and nanoparticle development to hybrid conjugates with therapeutic uses. The review covers the literature from the past 10 years with emphasis placed on new applications and mechanisms of pharmacological action of quinolone derivatives. The following are considered: metal complexes, nanoparticles and nanodrugs, polymers, proteins and peptides, NO donors and analogs, anionic compounds, siderophores, phosphonates, and prodrugs with enhanced lipophilicity, phototherapeutics, fluorescent compounds, triazoles, hybrid drugs, bis-quinolones, and other modifications. This review provides a comprehensive resource, summarizing a broad range of important quinolone applications with great utility as a resource concerning both chemical modifications and also novel hybrid bifunctional therapeutic agents. Graphical abstract

Rosmarinic acid is an attractive candidate for skin applications because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and photoprotective functions, however, its poor bioavailability hampers its therapeutic outcome. In this context, synthesis of polymer conjugates is an alternative to enlarge its applications. This work describes the synthesis of novel water-soluble chitosan – rosmarinic acid conjugates (CSRA) that have great potential for skin applications. Chitosan was functionalized with different contents of rosmarinic acid as confirmed by ATR-FTIR, H NMR and UV spectroscopies. CSRA conjugates presented three-fold radical scavenger capacity compared to the free phenolic compound. Films were prepared by solvent-casting procedure and the biological activity of the lixiviates was studied in vitro. Results revealed that lixiviates reduced activation of inflamed macrophages, improved antibacterial capacity against E. coli with respect to native chitosan and free rosmarinic acid, and also attenuated UVB-induced cellular damage and reactive oxygen species production in fibroblasts and keratinocytes., This work was supported by MICINN (Spain) (MAT2017-84277-R, and PRE2018-083873 M. Huerta's scholarship). F. J. Caro acknowledge financial support from CONACyT (Mexico) through the scholarship ‘Apoyo para estancias postdoctorales en el extranjero vinculadas a la consolidación de grupos de investigación y fortalecimiento del Posgrado nacional’. M.R. Aguilar and B. Vázquez-Lasa are members of the Sus- Plast platform from CSIC

Fish are exposed to numerous stressors in the environment including pollution, bacterial and viral agents, and toxic substances. Our study with common carps leveraged an integrated approach (i.e., histology, biochemical and hematological measurements, and analytical chemistry) to understand how cyanobacteria interfere with the impact of a model viral agent, Carp sprivivirus (SVCV), on fish. In addition to the specific effects of a single stressor (SVCV or cyanobacteria), the combination of both stressors worsens markers related to the immune system and liver health. Solely combined exposure resulted in the rise in the production of immunoglobulins, changes in glucose and cholesterol levels, and an elevated marker of impaired liver, alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Analytical determination of the cyanobacterial toxin microcystin-LR (MC-LR) and its structurally similar congener MC-RR and their conjugates showed that SVCV affects neither the levels of MC in the liver nor the detoxification capacity of the liver. MC-LR and MC-RR were depurated from liver mostly in the form of cysteine conjugates (MC-LR-Cys, MC-RR-Cys) in comparison to glutathione conjugates (LR-GSH, RR-GSH). Our study brought new evidence that cyanobacteria worsen the effect of viral agents. Such inclusion of multiple stressor concept helps us to understand how and to what extent the relevant environmental stressors co-influence the health of the fish population.

Tethering known drugs to a metalorganic moiety is an efficient approach for modulating the anticancer, antibacterial, and antiparasitic activity of organometallic complexes. This study focused on the synthesis and evaluation of new dinuclear ruthenium(II)–arene compounds linked to several antimicrobial compounds such as dapsone, sulfamethoxazole, sulfadiazine, sulfadoxine, triclosan, metronidazole, ciprofloxacin, as well as menadione (a 1,4-naphtoquinone derivative). In a primary screen, 30 compounds (17 hybrid molecules, diruthenium intermediates, and antimicrobials) were assessed for in vitro activity against transgenic T.&nbsp, gondii tachyzoites constitutively expressing β-galactosidase (T.&nbsp, gondii β-gal) at 0.1 and 1 µM. In parallel, the cytotoxicity in noninfected host cells (human foreskin fibroblasts, HFF) was determined by an alamarBlue assay. When assessed at 1 µM, five compounds strongly impaired parasite proliferation by &gt, 90%, and HFF viability was retained at 50% or more, and they were further subjected to T.&nbsp, gondii β-gal dose-response studies. Two compounds, notably 11 and 13, amide and ester conjugates with sulfadoxine and metronidazole, exhibited low IC50 (half-maximal inhibitory concentration) values 0.063 and 0.152 µM, and low or intermediate impairment of HFF viability at 2.5 µM (83 and 64%). The nature of the anchored drug as well as that of the linking unit impacted the biological activity.

International audience; Bisphenol A (BPA) is used in a wide variety of products and objects for consumers use (digital media such as CD's and DVD's, sport equipment, food and beverage containers, medical equipment). For humans, the main route of exposure to BPA is food. Based on previous estimates, almost 20% of the dietary exposure to BPA in the French population would be from food of animal origin. However, due to the use of composite samples, the source of the contamination had not been identified. Therefore, 322 individual samples of non-canned foods of animal origin were collected with the objectives of first updating the estimation of the exposure of the French population and second identifying the source of contamination of these foodstuffs using a specific analytical method. Compared to previous estimates in France, a decline in the contamination of the samples was observed, in particular with regard to meat. The estimated mean dietary exposures ranged from 0.048 to 0.050 μg (kg bw)(-1) d(-1) for 3-17 year children and adolescents, from 0.034 to 0.035 μg (kg bw)(-1) d(-1) for adults and from 0.047 to 0.049 μg (kg bw)(-1) d(-1) for pregnant women. The contribution of meat to total dietary exposure of pregnant women, adults and children was up to three times lower than the previous estimates. Despite this downward trend in contamination, the toxicological values were observed to have been exceeded for the population of pregnant women. With the aim of acquiring more knowledge about the origin the potential source(s) of contamination of non-canned foods of animal origin, a specific analytical method was developed to directly identify and quantify the presence of conjugated BPA (BPA-monoglucuronide, BPA-diglucuronide and sulphate forms) in 50 samples. No conjugated forms of BPAs were detected in the analysed samples, indicating clearly that BPA content in animal food was not due to metabolism but arise post mortem in food. This contamination may occur during food production. However, despite extensive sampling performed in several different shops (butcheries, supermarkets ....) and in different conditions (fresh, prepared, frozen ...), the source(s) of the contamination could not be specifically identified.

Glycyrrhizic acid (GA) conjugates with methyl and ethyl esters of D-amino acids (D-Trp, D-Phe, D-Tyr, D-Val, D-Leu) have been synthesized by the activated esters method using mixtures of N-hydroxybenzotriazole or N-hydroxysuccinimide with N,N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. GA conjugate with D-Trp ethyl ester exhibited antiviral activity against influenza viruses A/H3N2, A/H1N1/pdm09, A/H5N1, B (SI > 10–29), and HRSV (SI > 25). GA conjugate with D-Trp methyl ester inhibited influenza virus A/H1N1/pdm09 (SI > 30).

Consider a combinatorial design D with a full automorphism group G D.The automorphism group G of a design resolution R is a subgroup of G D.This subgroup maps each parallel class of R into a parallel class of R. Two resolutions R 1 and R 2 of D are isomorphic if some automorphismfrom G D maps each parallel class of R 1 to a parallel class of R 2. If G D isvery big, the computation of the automorphism group of a resolution and thecheck for isomorphism of two resolutions might be difficult. Such problems often arise when resolutions of geometric designs (the designs ofthe points and t-dimensional subspaces of projective or affine spaces) are considered.For resolutions with given automorphisms these problems can be solvedby using some of the conjugates of the predefined automorphisms. The method is explained in the present paper and an algorithm forconstruction of the necessary conjugates is presented.ACM Computing Classification System (1998): F.2.1, G.1.10, G.2.1.

The reaction of commercially available soluble chitosans of equal acetylation degree (11–12%) and differing in their molecular weight (56–1.3 kDa) and β-lactoglobulin by Maillard reaction has been conducted in order to evaluate the resulting products and their functional properties. The characterization of the reaction products was performed by measurement of z-potential interactions, solubility, size exclusion chromatography, electrophoretic pattern, and absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopic compounds formation. Higher molecular weight chitosans (39 and 56 kDa) showed a slow progression and a gelled insoluble material appeared. In filtered products, emulsifying properties of the conjugates were improved with regard to those of the unreacted protein. Conjugates formed with the enzymatically depolymerized chitosan (1.3 kDa) displayed a sharp formation of advanced and final products of Maillard reaction. Products with all three chitosans gave rise to antioxidant activity superior to the protein after 2 days of reaction (2 and 3 times in ferric reducing power for 39 and 56 kDa chitosans, and 7 times for the 1.3 kDa chitosan, respectively), and the values correlated well with the spectroscopic and fluorescent compounds from the Maillard reaction. The results are useful with a view to selecting chitosans for development of new ingredients with tailored functional properties., This work was partially funded through Project MAT2010-21621-C02-01 and MAT2013-46692-C2-1-R of the Spanish Ministry of Science. M. Mengíbar wants to thank the Ministry of Science (Spain) for a FPU grant.

Antibiotic resistance is an escalating, worldwide problem. Due to excessive use of antibiotics, multidrug-resistant bacteria have become a serious threat and a major global healthcare problem of the 21st century. This fact creates an urgent need for new and effective antimicrobials. The common strategies for antibiotic discovery are based on either modifying existing antibiotics or screening compound libraries, but these strategies have not been successful in recent decades. An alternative approach could be to use gene-specific oligonucleotides, such as peptide nucleic acid (PNA) oligomers, that can specifically target any single pathogen. This approach broadens the range of potential targets to any gene with a known sequence in any bacterium, and could significantly reduce the time required to discover new antimicrobials or their redesign, if resistance arises. We review the potential of PNA as an antibacterial molecule. First, we describe the physicochemical properties of PNA and modifications of the PNA backbone and nucleobases. Second, we review the carriers used to transport PNA to bacterial cells. Furthermore, we discuss the PNA targets in antibacterial studies focusing on antisense PNA targeting bacterial mRNA and rRNA.

Here we present a novel G4-binding family of compounds based on a central core of phenyl ditriazole (PDTZ) modified with carbohydrates and phenyl pyrrolidinyl side-chains. Their synthesis was achieved using controlled click chemistry conditions to obtain both, symmetric and dissymmetric carb-PDTZ derivatives without any intermediate protecting steps through an optimized methodology. Binding of the new carb-PDTZ to a variety of G-quadruplex motifs was examined using different biophysical techniques. The symmetric carb-PDTZ derivatives were not able to stabilize G4, but the dissymmetric ones (containing one sugar and one phenyl pyrrolidinyl side-chain) did. Interestingly, the dissymmetric carb-PDTZ derivatives showed much higher G4 vs duplex DNA selectivity than the control compound PDTZ 1, which contains two phenyl pyrrodilinyl side-chains and no carbohydrates. Their potential antitumoral activity was also investigated by in vitro cytotoxicity measurements on different cancerous cell lines. All carb-PDTZ derivatives showed higher IC50 values than the control PDTZ 1, probably due to the lack of compound stability of some derivatives and to lower cellular uptake.

Plant diseases produced by bacteria are responsible for considerable economic losses. These phytopathologies are highly contagious and difficult to control. With this aim, we selected peptides reported as plant defense elicitors, promiscuous, multifunctional or antimicrobial and tested them against plant pathogenic bacteria, being KSL-W the best candidate. This peptide was taken as a lead and analogues were designed and synthesized, including N-terminal deletion sequences, peptides incorporating D-amino acids and lipopeptides. Moreover, we studied the peptide conjugation of an antimicrobial peptide, a plant defense elicitor peptide and/or a cell-penetrating peptide. The last part of this thesis was focused on the synthesis of cyclic peptides designed by replacing a Phe residue with a Trp. The analysis of the biological activity results showed that this replacement improved the biological profile. In summary, this thesis allowed the identification of new lead peptides to control phytopathogenic diseases Les malalties produïdes per bacteris són responsables de considerables pèrdues econòmiques. Aquestes fitopatologies són altament contagioses i de difícil control. En aquest context, es van seleccionar pèptids descrits com estimuladors de defenses en plantes, promiscus, multifuncionals o antimicrobians i es van provar contra patògens vegetals, sent KSL-W el millor candidat. Aquest lead va servir de base per dissenyar i sintetitzar anàlegs, incloent-hi seqüències on es s’eliminaven residus d’aminoàcids de l’extrem N-terminal, pèptids que incorporaven D-aminoàcids i lipopèptids. A més, es va estudiar la conjugació d’un pèptid antimicrobià, un estimulador de defenses i/o un cell-penetrating peptide. La darrera part d’aquesta tesi es va centrar en la síntesi de pèptids cíclics dissenyats per la substitució d’un residu de Phe per un Trp. L’anàlisi dels resultats de l’activitat va mostrat que aquesta modificació va millorar el perfil biològic. En resum, aquesta tesi va permetre identificar nous pèptids lead per controlar les malalties fitopatogèniques

In the present study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using both the chemical and biological methods and conjugated with Pyrenacantha grandiflora extracts. These were then characterized and evaluated for antimicrobial activities against multi-drug resistant pathogens, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Klebsiella pneumonia, and Escherichia coli. Nanoparticles were analyzed with UV-visible spectrophotometer, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). Silver nanoparticles, P. grandiflora extracts, and the conjugates were also analyzed with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). As a result, quasi-sphere-shaped AgNPs with sizes ranging from 5 to 33 nm and spherically shaped AgNPs with sizes ranging from 3 to 25 nm were formed from chemical and biological synthesis, respectively. A well diffusion assay showed that the activity of silver nanoparticles was most improved with acetone extract against all tested bacteria with diameters in the range of 19–24 mm. The lowest MIC value of 0.0063 mg/mL against MRSA was observed when biologically synthesized AgNPs were conjugated with acetone and water extracts. Chemically synthesized silver nanoparticles showed the lowest MIC value of 0.0063 mg/mL against E. coli when conjugated with acetone and methanol extracts. This study indicates that silver nanoparticles conjugated with P. gandiflora tubers extracts exhibit strong antibacterial activities against multi-drug resistant bacterial pathogens. Therefore, biosynthesized conjugates could be utilized as antimicrobial agents for effective disease management due to the synergistic antibacterial activity that was observed.

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are a family of macrocyclic oligosaccharides mostly composed of six, seven, or eight α-D-glucopyranose units with α-1,4-glycosidic bonds to form toroidal structures. The CDs possess a hydrophilic exterior and hydrophobic interior with the ability to form an inclusion complex, especially with hydrophobic molecules. However, most existing studies are about conjugation CDs with peptide/protein focusing on the formation of new systems. The CD-peptide/protein can possess new abilities; particularly, the cavity can be applied in modulation properties of more complexed proteins. Most studies are focused on drug delivery, such as targeted delivery in cell-penetrating peptides or co-delivery. The co-delivery is based mostly on polylysine systems; on the other hand, the CD-peptide allows us to understand biomolecular mechanisms such as fibryllation or stem cell behaviour. Moreover, the CD-proteins are more complexed systems with a focus on targeted therapy; these conjugates might be controllable with various properties due to changes in their stability. Finally, the studies of CD-peptide/protein are promising in biomedical application and provide new possibilities for the conjugation of simple molecules to biomolecules.

Anthracycline antitumor antibiotics are one of the promising classes of chemotherapeutic agents for cancer treatment. The main deterrent to their use is high toxicity to a healthy environment, including cumulative cardiotoxicity. In our work, bipharmacophore molecules containing in their structure a fragment of the known anthracycline antibiotics daunorubicin and doxorubicin and natural sesquiterpene lactones were obtained for the first time. When studying the biological activity of the synthesized compounds, it was found that with equal and, in some cases, higher cytotoxicity and glycolysis inhibition by anthracycline antibiotics conjugates with sesquiterpene lactones in comparison with doxo- and daunorubicin, a reduced damaging effect on the functioning of rat heart mitochondria was observed. The results obtained allow us to confirm the assumption that the chemical modification of the anthracycline antibiotics molecules doxo- and daunorubicin by natural sesquiterpene lactones can be a promising strategy for creating potential antitumor chemotherapeutic drugs with a pronounced cytotoxic effect on tumor cells and a reduced damaging effect on healthy cells of the human organism.

A survey on Alternaria toxins in the food categories dried figs (n = 14), sunflower products (n = 24) and tomato products (n = 43) was carried out in the Netherlands on samples collected in retail stores in autumn 2014. The occurrence data from this survey confirmed the previously reported data of a pilot survey in 2013, with tenuazonic acid being an ubiquitous Alternaria toxin in dried figs (100% of the samples), sunflower seeds (80% of the samples) and tomato products (60% of samples) at relatively high concentrations, up to 1728 μg/kg in dried figs and 1350 μg/kg in sunflower seeds. Despite the occurring of high concentrations of tenuazonic acid in sunflower seeds and figs, it is unlikely that the population in the Netherlands is exposed to levels of concern. Alternariol was detected in 27% of the tomato products ranging from LOQ (2 μg/kg) up to 26 μg/kg, while alternariol monomethyl ether was present in 7% of the tomato products. In the worst case situation, consumption of these products may result in exposure at levels above the threshold of toxicological concern of 2.5 ng/kg body weight/day for alternariol. None of seven conjugates of Alternaria toxins was detected above the limit of quantification (LOQ) of 2.5 μg/kg.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is widely used in anticancer drug delivery, since it is biocompatible, biodegradable, non-toxic, and non-immunogenic; moreover, HA receptors are overexpressed on many tumor cells. Exploiting this ligand-receptor interaction, the use of HA is now a rapidly-growing platform for targeting CD44-overexpressing cells, to improve anticancer therapies. The rationale underlying approaches, chemical strategies, and recent advances in the use of HA to design drug carriers for delivering anticancer agents, are reviewed. Comprehensive descriptions are given of HA-based drug conjugates, particulate carriers (micelles, liposomes, nanoparticles, microparticles), inorganic nanostructures, and hydrogels, with particular emphasis on reports of preclinical/clinical results.

The in vitro biochemical evaluation of the applicability of polymers carrying active substances (micelles and conjugates) was carried out. Previously designed amphiphilic graft copolymers with retinol or 4-n-butylresorcinol functionalized polymethacrylate backbone and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) side chains that included Janus-type heterografted copolymers containing both PEG and poly(&epsilon, caprolactone) (PCL) side chains were applied as micellar carriers. The polymer self-assemblies were convenient to encapsulate arbutin (ARB) as the selected active substances. Moreover, the conjugates of PEG graft copolymers with ferulic acid (FA) or lipoic acid (LA) were also investigated. The permeability of released active substances through a membrane mimicking skin was evaluated by conducting transdermal tests in Franz diffusion cells. The biological response to new carriers with active substances was tested across cell lines, including normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF), human epidermal keratinocyte (HaCaT), as well as cancer melanoma (Me45) and metastatic human melanoma (451-Lu), for comparison. These polymer systems were safe and non-cytotoxic at the tested concentrations for healthy skin cell lines according to the MTT test. Cytometric evaluation of cell cycles as well as cell death defined by Annexin-V apoptosis assays and senescence tests showed no significant changes under action of the delivery systems, as compared to the control cells. In vitro tests confirmed the biochemical potential of these antioxidant carriers as beneficial components in cosmetic products, especially applied in the form of masks and eye pads.

The amphiphilic copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (MPEGMA) and alkyne functionalized 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (AlHEMA) were synthesized by controlled atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The reactions were carried out using the standard ATRP initiator ethyl &alpha, bromoisobutyrate, (EiBBr) and the &ldquo, bio&rdquo, initiator bromoester derivative of 4-n-butylresorcinol (4nBREBr2). Two substances with antioxidant activity used in cosmetology, (&plusmn, )-&alpha, lipoic acid (LA) and ferulic acid (FA), were subjected to esterification reactions to introduce azide groups. The &ldquo, click&rdquo, reactions between the alkyne contained copolymers and functionalized acids (LA-N3, FA-N3) were performed to obtain polymer-antioxidant conjugates (P((HEMA-click-FA)-co-MPEGMA) and P((HEMA-click-LA)-co-MPEGMA)). The conjugation was performed with an efficiency of 20&ndash, 75%. In vitro experiments in a phosphate buffer saline (PBS) solution at neutral conditions demonstrated that the sufficient release was reached after 2.5 h for FA and 1 h for LA. The rapid release kinetics as well as the polymer carriers, which were applied to regulate the delivery of antioxidant substances, are beneficial in cosmetology.

A novel polymer-drug conjugate was prepared by the chemical reaction between the copolymer Pluronic P123 and the docetaxel via a pH sensitive hydrazone bond. These pluronic P123-docetaxel (DTX) conjugates (P123-DTX) could form the stable drug-loaded materials that can self-assemble into the defined nano-micelles in aqueous solution because of their obvious amphiphilic property and low critical micelle concentration. The spherical morphology and particle size of the prepared nano-micelles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering, respectively. Moreover, after the introduction of pH sensitive hydrazone bond, P123-DTX micelle showed a pH dependent drug release behavior. At pH 5.0 (in 48 h), the cumulative release amount of DTX were ~84.9%, which is about six times higher than that at pH 7.4. The prepared novel p123-DTX conjugates may offer a great benefit for drug delivery and controlling the drug release.

New dimeric quaternary alkylammonium conjugates of sterols were obtained by two step reactions of ergosterol, cholesterol and cholestanol with bromoacetic acid bromide, followed by bimolecular nucleophilic substitution with N, N, N', N'-tetramethyl-1,3-propanediamine, N, N, N', N'', N''-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine and 3,3'-iminobis-(N, N-dimethylpropylamine). The product structures were confirmed by spectral (1 H-NMR, 13 C-NMR, FT-IR) analysis, mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and PM5 semiempirical methods. Additionally in silico studies have been conducted for the synthesized compounds on the basis of Prediction of Activity Spectra for Substances (PASS).

The continuous rising of the cancer patient death rate undoubtedly shows the pressure to find more potent and efficient drugs than those in clinical use. These agents only treat a narrow range of cancer conditions with limited success and are associated with serious side effects caused by the lack of selectivity. In this frame, innovative syntheses approaches can decisively contribute to the success of “smart compounds” that might be only selective and/or active towards the cancer cells, sparing the healthy ones. In this scope, ruthenium chemistry is a rising field for the search of proficient metallodrugs by the use of macromolecular ruthenium complexes (dendrimers and dendronized polymers, coordination-cage and protein conjugates, nanoparticles and polymer-“ruthenium-cyclopentadienyl” conjugates) that can take advantage of the singularities of tumor cells (vs. healthy cells).

The oral delivery of docetaxel (DTX) is challenging due to a low bioavailability, related to an important pre-systemic metabolism. With the aim of improving the bioavailability of this cytotoxic agent, nanoparticles from conjugates based on the copolymer of methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride (poly(anhydride)) and two different types of PEG, PEG2000 (PEG2) or methoxyPEG2000 (mPEG2), were evaluated. Nanoparticles, with a DTX loading close to 10%, were prepared by desolvation and stabilized with calcium, before purification and lyophilization. For the pharmacokinetic study, nanoparticles were orally administered to mice at a single dose of 30 mg/kg. The plasma levels of DTX were high, prolonged in time and, importantly, quantified within the therapeutic window. The relative oral bioavailability was calculated to be up to 56% when DTX was loaded in nanoparticles from poly(anhydride)-mPEG2000 conjugate (DTX-NP-mPEG2). Finally, a comparative toxicity study between equitoxic doses of free iv DTX and oral DTX-NP-mPEG2 was conducted in mice. Animals orally treated with DTX-loaded nanoparticles displayed less severe signs of hypersensitivity reactions, peripheral neurotoxicity, myelosuppression and hepatotoxicity than free iv docetaxel. In summary, poly(anhydride)-PEG conjugate nanoparticles appears to be adequate carries for the oral delivery of docetaxel.

G-quadruplexes constitute a unique class of nucleic acid structures formed by G-rich oligonucleotides of DNA- or RNA-type. Depending on their chemical nature, loops length, and localization in the sequence or structure molecularity, G-quadruplexes are highly polymorphic structures showing various folding topologies. They may be formed in the human genome where they are believed to play a pivotal role in the regulation of multiple biological processes such as replication, transcription, and translation. Thus, natural G-quadruplex structures became prospective targets for disease treatment. The fast development of systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) technologies provided a number of G-rich aptamers revealing the potential of G-quadruplex structures as a promising molecular tool targeted toward various biologically important ligands. Because of their high stability, increased cellular uptake, ease of chemical modification, minor production costs, and convenient storage, G-rich aptamers became interesting therapeutic and diagnostic alternatives to antibodies. In this review, we describe the recent advances in the development of G-quadruplex based aptamers by focusing on the therapeutic and diagnostic potential of this exceptional class of nucleic acid structures.

The presented drug delivery polymeric systems (DDS), i.e., conjugates and self-assemblies, based on grafted and star-shaped polymethacrylates have been studied for the last few years in our group. This minireview is focused on the relationship of polymer structure to drug conjugation/entrapment efficiency and release capability. Both graft and linear polymers containing trimethylammonium groups showed the ability to release the pharmaceutical anions by ionic exchange, but in aqueous solution they were also self-assembled into nanoparticles with encapsulated nonionic drugs. Star-shaped polymers functionalized with ionizable amine/carboxylic groups were investigated for drug conjugation via ketimine/amide linkers. However, only the conjugates of polybases were water-soluble, giving opportunity for release studies, whereas the self-assembling polyacidic stars were encapsulated with the model drugs. Depending on the type of drug loading in the polymer matrix, their release rates were ordered as follows: Physical ≥ ionic > covalent. The studies indicated that the well-defined ionic polymethacrylates, including poly(ionic liquid)s, are advantageous for designing macromolecular carriers due to the variety of structural parameters, which are efficient for tuning of drug loading and release behavior in respect to the specific drug interactions.