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Protein adsorption studies returned to the focus of medical therapeutics, when it was found that up to 2500 non-plasma proteins adsorbed to hip implants during arthroplastic surgery, challenging peri-implant healing models. Questions have re-emerged as to the implications of uncontrolled protein unfolding after adsorption. In past studies on the cooperativity of protein binding we discovered protein adsorption hysteresis, a thermodynamically irreversible process. The present precursory study comprises real-time kinetic (TIRF-Rheometry) and equilibrium (125I-tracer ) studies on the hysteretic binding of fibrinogen and rhBMP-2 to titanium and glass surfaces via transient states. Thermodynamic constants (GOn), as well as kinetically derived (K'A ) and hysteresis derived (K'HA ) association constants in the range of 106 to 1012 M-1lead to a consistent picture.

Two flavonoids, karanjin (Kj) and karanjachromene (Kc) have been investigated spectrophotometrically for their mode of interactions with double stranded (ds)-DNA at blood (7.4) and stomach (4.7) pH and at human body temperature (37°C). Benesi-Hildebrand equation was used to evaluate the binding constants, K. Binding constants at both pH values and at body temperature showed stronger binding of both the flavonoids and formation of 1:1 flavonoid-DNA complex via intercalative mode. However, K values for karanjin were evaluated to be comparatively greater than karanjachromene at both pH values. The highest value of binding constant (1.32×10 M) for karanjin at blood pH (7.4) demonstrated its comparatively stronger binding and greater effectiveness at this pH. Standard Gibbs free energy changes (ΔG) of flavonoid-DNA complexes were calculated as negative values and indicative of spontaneity of their binding. Both flavonoids showed significant DNA protection activity. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association process between two water soluble cationic porphyrins, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[4-(trimethyl-ammonio)phenyl]-21 H,23 H-porphine tetra- p-tosylate (HTTMePP) and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(1-methyl-4-pyridyl)-21 H,23 H-porphine tetra- p-tosylate (HTMePyP), as well as their Cu (II) complexes, with five series of nucleic agents has been studied using UV-VIS spectroscopy in aqueous solutions. During the titration with nucleic compounds the bathochromic effect of porphyrins absorption spectra can be observed as well as the hypochromicity of the Soret maximum. The association constants were calculated using a curve-fitting procedure (K of the order of magnitude of 10-10 mol). It has been shown that the interactions of HTTMePP with nucleic agents are much stronger than interactions of HTMePyP, which is most likely related to the kind and the size of the porphyrin substituent groups partaking in the process of stacking. The strength of the observed associated systems increases generally in a series: nucleic base < nucleoside < nucleotide. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and pump-free chemiluminescence immunoassay based on a compact disc (CD)-type microfluidic platform for the determination of alkylphenol polyethoxylates (APnEOs) is described. The method is based on a competitive immunoreaction of the anti-APnEOs antibody immobilized on the magnetic microbeads between APnEOs and horse-radish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled APnEOs in the sample solution. The luminol solution containing H2O2 and enhancer is caused to flow from one reservoir in the platform to another by appropriate adjustment of the speed of the rotation of the disc. The detection limit was similar to that reported in our previous paper, i.e., 10 ppb according to IC80. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) is widely used to determine the thermodynamics of biological interactions including protein-protein, small molecule- protein, protein-DNA, small molecule-DNA, and antigen-antibody interactions. An ITC measurement consists of monitoring the transfer of heat between an analyte solution in a sample vessel and a reference solution in a reference vessel upon injection of a small aliquot of titrant solution into the sample vessel at a fixed ITC operating temperature. A binding isotherm is generated from the heat-transferred- per-injection data and values for the binding constants, the apparent binding enthalpies, and the apparent ratio of the amount of titrant to analyte for the binding reaction are then determined from fits of a binding model, whether it is a single site, identical multi-site, or an interacting multi-site binding model, to the binding isotherm. Prior to the fitting procedure, corrections should be made for contributions from extraneous heat of mixing determined separately from injections of the titrant into just the dialysate/buffer solution. Ultra-high binding constants, which cannot be directly determined from an ITC measurement, can be determined by a displacement ITC method where injections of the tight-binding titrant into a solution of a weaker-binding titrant-analyte complex displaces the weaker-binding titrant from the complex. The Michaelis and catalytic constants can be determined for an enzyme reaction from injections of a substrate or enzyme titrant into an enzyme or substrate analyte solution. Several binding reactions are suggested to check the operating performance of the ITC. The reporting of ITC results must be specific with regard to the composition of the titrant and the analyte solutions, the temperature, and the model used in the analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]