First evidences of PAMAM dendrimer internalization in microorganisms of environmental relevance: A linkage with toxicity and oxidative stress

Perspectives on nanomaterial-empowered bioremediation of heavy metals by photosynthetic microorganisms

Environmental remediation of heavy metals (HMs) is a crucial aspect of sustainable development, safeguarding natural resources, biodiversity, and the delicate balance of ecosystems, all of which are critical for sustaining life on our planet. The bioremediation of HMs by unicellular phototrophs harnesses their intrinsic detoxification mechanisms, including biosorption, bioaccumulation, and biotransformation. These processes can be remarkably effective in mitigating HMs, particularly at lower contaminant concentrations, surpassing the efficacy of conventional physicochemical methods and offering greater sustainability and cost-effectiveness. Here, we explore the potential of various engineered nanomaterials to further enhance the capacity and efficiency of HM bioremediation based on photosynthetic microorganisms. The critical assessment of the interactions between nanomaterials and unicellular phototrophs emphasised the ability of tailored nanomaterials to sustain photosynthetic metabolism and the defence system of microorganisms, thereby enhancing their growth, biomass accumulation, and overall bioremediation capacity. Key factors that could shape future research efforts toward sustainable nanobioremediation of HM are discussed, and knowledge gaps in the field have been identified. This study sheds light on the potential of nanobioremediation by unicellular phototrophs as an efficient, scalable, and cost-effective solution for HM removal.

Mitochondria dysfunction is one of the causes of diclofenac toxicity in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Background

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as diclofenac (DCF), form a significant group of environmental contaminants. When the toxic effects of DCF on plants are analyzed, authors often focus on photosynthesis, while mitochondrial respiration is usually overlooked. Therefore, an in vivo investigation of plant mitochondria functioning under DCF treatment is needed. In the present work, we decided to use the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as a model organism.

Methods

Synchronous cultures of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii strain CC-1690 were treated with DCF at a concentration of 135.5 mg × L-1, corresponding to the toxicological value EC50/24. To assess the effects of short-term exposure to DCF on mitochondrial activity, oxygen consumption rate, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) production were analyzed. To inhibit cytochrome c oxidase or alternative oxidase activity, potassium cyanide (KCN) or salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM) were used, respectively. Moreover, the cell's structure organization was analyzed using confocal microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.

Results

The results indicate that short-term exposure to DCF leads to an increase in oxygen consumption rate, accompanied by low MMP and reduced mtROS production by the cells in the treated populations as compared to control ones. These observations suggest an uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation due to the disruption of mitochondrial membranes, which is consistent with the malformations in mitochondrial structures observed in electron micrographs, such as elongation, irregular forms, and degraded cristae, potentially indicating mitochondrial swelling or hyper-fission. The assumption about non-specific DCF action is further supported by comparing mitochondrial parameters in DCF-treated cells to the same parameters in cells treated with selective respiratory inhibitors: no similarities were found between the experimental variants.

Conclusions

The results obtained in this work suggest that DCF strongly affects cells that experience mild metabolic or developmental disorders, not revealed under control conditions, while more vital cells are affected only slightly, as it was already indicated in literature. In the cells suffering from DCF treatment, the drug influence on mitochondria functioning in a non-specific way, destroying the structure of mitochondrial membranes. This primary effect probably led to the mitochondrial inner membrane permeability transition and the uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation. It can be assumed that mitochondrial dysfunction is an important factor in DCF phytotoxicity. Because studies of the effects of NSAIDs on the functioning of plant mitochondria are relatively scarce, the present work is an important contribution to the elucidation of the mechanism of NSAID toxicity toward non-target plant organisms.

Biomimetic antimicrobial polymers—Design, characterization, antimicrobial, and novel applications

Biomimetic antimicrobial polymers have been an area of great interest as the need for novel antimicrobial compounds grows due to the development of resistance. These polymers were designed and developed to mimic naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides in both physicochemical composition and mechanism of action. These antimicrobial peptide mimetic polymers have been extensively investigated using chemical, biophysical, microbiological, and computational approaches to gain a deeper understanding of the molecular interactions that drive function. These studies have helped inform SARs, mechanism of action, and general physicochemical factors that influence the activity and properties of antimicrobial polymers. However, there are still lingering questions in this field regarding 3D structural patterning, bioavailability, and applicability to alternative targets. In this review, we present a perspective on the development and characterization of several antimicrobial polymers and discuss novel applications of these molecules emerging in the field. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Infectious Disease.

Identification and toxicity towards aquatic primary producers of the smallest fractions released from hydrolytic degradation of polycaprolactone microplastics

Bioplastics are thought as a safe substitute of non-biodegradable polymers. However, once released in the environment, biodegradation may be very slow, and they also suffer abiotic fragmentation processes, which may give rise to different fractions of polymer sizes. We present novel data on abiotic hydrolytic degradation of polycaprolactone (PCL), tracking the presence of by-products during 132 days by combining different physicochemical techniques. During the study a considerable amount of two small size plastic fractions were found (up to ∼ 6 mg of PCL by-product/g of PCL beads after 132 days of degradation); and classified as submicron-plastics (sMPs) from 1 μm to 100 nm and nanoplastics (NPs, <100 nm) as well as oligomers. The potential toxicity of the smallest fractions, PCL by-products < 100 nm (PCL-NPs + PCL oligomers) and the PCL oligomers single fraction, was tested on two ecologically relevant aquatic primary producers: the heterocystous filamentous nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120, and the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942. Upon exposure to both, single and combined fractions, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) overproduction, intracellular pH and metabolic activity alterations were observed in both organisms, whilst membrane potential and morphological damages were only observed upon PCL-NPs + PCL oligomers exposure. Notably both PCL by-products fractions inhibited nitrogen fixation in Anabaena, which may be clearly detrimental for the aquatic trophic chain. As conclusion, fragmentation of bioplastics may render a continuous production of secondary nanoplastics as well as oligomers that might be toxic to the surrounding biota; both PCL-NPs and PCL oligomers, but largely the nanoparticulate fraction, were harmful for the two aquatic primary producers. Efforts should be made to thoroughly understand the fragmentation of bioplastics and the toxicity of the smallest fractions resulting from that degradation.

Synthetic Biomimetic Polymethacrylates: Promising Platform for the Design of Anti-Cyanobacterial and Anti-Algal Agents

Extensive, uncontrolled growth of algae and cyanobacteria is an environmental, public health, economic, and technical issue in managing natural and engineered water systems. Synthetic biomimetic polymers have been almost exclusively considered antimicrobial alternatives to conventional antibiotics to treat human bacterial infections. Very little is known about their applicability in an aquatic environment. Here, we introduce synthetic biomimetic polymethacrylates (SBPs) as a cost-effective and chemically facile, flexible platform for designing a new type of agent suitable for controlling and mitigating photosynthetic microorganisms. Since SBPs are cationic and membranolytic in heterotrophic bacteria, we hypothesized they could also interact with negatively charged cyanobacterial or algal cell walls and membranes. We demonstrated that SBPs inhibited the growth of aquatic photosynthetic organisms of concern, i.e., cyanobacteria (Microcystis aeruginosa and Synechococcus elongatus) and green algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Desmodesmus quadricauda), with 50% effective growth-inhibiting concentrations ranging between 95 nM and 6.5 μM. Additionally, SBPs exhibited algicidal effects on C. reinhardtii and cyanocidal effects on picocyanobacterium S. elongatus and microcystin-producing cyanobacterium M. aeruginosa. SBP copolymers, particularly those with moderate hydrophobic content, induced more potent cyanostatic and cyanocidal effects than homopolymers. Thus, biomimetic polymers are a promising platform for the design of anti-cyanobacterial and anti-algal agents for water treatment.

Dermal delivery and follicular targeting of adapalene using PAMAM dendrimers

Acne is a chronic dermatological disease of pilosebaceous units existing in the form of hair follicles (HFs) and accompanying sebaceous glands. In topical acne treatment, localisation of drug substance at the target site, in pilosebaceous units, especially in HFs is essential. The aims of this study were to develop and optimise adapalene (ADA)-loaded PAMAM dendrimer-based nanocarriers for topical acne treatment and to prepare gel formulations of the selected nanocarriers and to characterise their rheological properties and spreadability. ADA accumulation in HFs and in the skin from PAMAM dendrimers' aqueous colloidal formulations and their gel formulations were quantitatively determined using punch biopsy technique. Follicular targeting efficiency from PAMAM dendrimers and their gel formulation was compared with the commercial gel product, Differin^® Gel. The localisation of fluorescently labelled PAMAM dendrimers was visualised using a confocal microscope, which confirmed a successful delivery of the carrier system to the HFs. It was also quantified that PAMAM dendrimers improved follicular localisation and skin deposition of ADA. PAMAM dendrimers' gel formulation including lower ADA doses compared with the commercial product exhibited efficient performance in terms of drug accumulation in HFs. In vitro cell viability studies showed the relative safety of G2-PAMAM dendrimers which could be considered to possibly be well tolerated by the skin. Overall, PAMAM dendrimers' potential to selectively target drugs to the site of action, reduce dose administrated, therefore minimise side effects and provide efficiency in topical treatment of dermatological diseases such as acne was shown.

Effects of zinc toxicity on the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Anabaena sphaerica-ultastructural, physiological and biochemical analyses

The current study describes the mechanisms of zinc toxicity in the cyanobacterium Anabaena sphaerica after eight days treatment with 10 mg L-1 ZnCl2. The application of zinc not only showed elevated accumulation of the metal inside the cells but also exhibited devastating impacts on the cell numbers, morphology, and ultrastructure of A. sphaerica. The effects of zinc on the pigments contents, oxygen evolution rate, Fv/Fm, electron transport rate, and carbohydrate content were also evaluated in A. sphaerica. Moreover, zinc adversely affected nutrient uptake and the cellular energy budget in the test cyanobacterium which in turn hampered heterocyst development and nitrogen fixation. Alongside, the cyanobacterium experienced zinc-mediated non-competitive inhibition of glutamine synthetase activity, curtailed synthesis of amino acids and proteins. Furthermore, drastically reduced total lipid and increased unsaturated lipid contents were also the prominent characteristics of zinc stressed A. sphaerica. Most importantly, zinc stress caused severe damages to the protein, lipid, and DNA by triggering hydrogen peroxide generation and accumulation of oxidized glutathione. Therefore, excess zinc is highly toxic to the cyanobacterium A. sphaerica, and the mechanisms of its toxicity followed a cascade of events including oxidative stress mediated geopardisation of growth and ultrastructure, metabolic derangements, and macromolecular damages.

Recent Progress and Advances of Multi-Stimuli-Responsive Dendrimers in Drug Delivery for Cancer Treatment

Despite the fact that nanocarriers as drug delivery systems overcome the limitation of chemotherapy, the leakage of encapsulated drugs during the delivery process to the target site can still cause toxic effects to healthy cells in other tissues and organs in the body. Controlling drug release at the target site, responding to stimuli that originated from internal changes within the body, as well as stimuli manipulated by external sources has recently received significant attention. Owning to the spherical shape and porous structure, dendrimer is utilized as a material for drug delivery. Moreover, the surface region of dendrimer has various moieties facilitating the surface functionalization to develop the desired material. Therefore, multi-stimuli-responsive dendrimers or 'smart' dendrimers that respond to more than two stimuli will be an inspired attempt to achieve the site-specific release and reduce as much as possible the side effects of the drug. The aim of this review was to delve much deeper into the recent progress of multi-stimuli-responsive dendrimers in the delivery of anticancer drugs in addition to the major potential challenges.

Cytotoxicity of Dendrimers

Drug delivery systems are molecular platforms in which an active compound is packed into or loaded on a biocompatible nanoparticle. Such a solution improves the activity of the applied drug or decreases its side effects. Dendrimers are promising molecular platforms for drug delivery due to their unique properties. These macromolecules are known for their defined size, shape, and molecular weight, as well as their monodispersity, the presence of the void space, tailorable structure, internalization by cells, selectivity toward cells and intracellular components, protection of guest molecules, and controllable release of the cargo. Dendrimers were tested as carriers of various molecules and, simultaneously, their toxicity was examined using different cell lines. It was discovered that, in general, dendrimer cytotoxicity depended on the generation, the number of surface groups, and the nature of terminal moieties (anionic, neutral, or cationic). Higher cytotoxicity occurred for higher-generation dendrimers and for dendrimers with positive charges on the surface. In order to decrease the cytotoxicity of dendrimers, scientists started to introduce different chemical modifications on the periphery of the nanomolecule. Dendrimers grafted with polyethylene glycol (PEG), acetyl groups, carbohydrates, and other moieties did not affect cell viability, or did so only slightly, while still maintaining other advantageous properties. Dendrimers clearly have great potential for wide utilization as drug and gene carriers. Moreover, some dendrimers have biological properties per se, being anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, or toxic to cancer cells without affecting normal cells. Therefore, intrinsic cytotoxicity is a comprehensive problem and should be considered individually depending on the potential destination of the nanoparticle.

Hyperbranched polymeric nanomaterials impair the freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna

Hyperbranched polymers are nanomaterials belonging to the class of dendritic architectures with increasing applications in many diverse fields. We studied the toxicity of two hyperbranched polymers to the freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna. A hyperbranched hydroxyl-terminated polyester and a commercial hyperbranched polyamidoamine, Helux-3316 were tested for the acute immobilization of daphnids, the overproduction of reactive oxygen species and the activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase and glutathione S-transferase. The effect for D. magna immobilization was higher for the hyperbranched polyamidoamine Helux-3316, which was attributed to the presence of primary amino groups on its surface. Following exposure to both hyperbranched polymers, a clear overproduction of reactive oxygen species took place accompanied by concentration-dependent enzymatic antioxidant response. Our results showed that the overproduction of reactive oxygen species activated antioxidant defence mechanisms and was responsible for the immobilization of daphnids exposed to both hyperbranched polymers. We showed evidence of the uptake of fluorescently labelled Helux-3316 that accumulated into the gastrointestinal tract of D. magna, and its removal via excretion within fecal pellets. This is the first work reporting the internalization of hyperbranched polymers in aquatic organisms.

Branched Poly(ethylene imine)s as Anti-algal and Anti-cyanobacterial Agents with Selective Flocculation Behavior to Cyanobacteria over Algae

Poly(ethylene imine)s (PEIs) have been widely studied for biomedical applications, including antimicrobial agents against potential human pathogens. The interactions of branched PEIs (B-PEIs) with environmentally relevant microorganisms whose uncontrolled growth in natural or engineered environments causes health, economic, and technical issues in many sectors of water management are studied. B-PEIs are shown to be potent antimicrobials effective in controlling the growth of environmentally relevant algae and cyanobacteria with dual-functionality and selectivity. Not only did they effectively inhibit growth of both algae and cyanobacteria, mostly without causing cell death (static activity), but they also selectively flocculated cyanobacteria over algae. Thus, unmodified B-PEIs provide a cost-effective and chemically facile framework for the further development of effective and selective antimicrobial agents useful for control of growth and separation of algae and cyanobacteria in natural or engineered environments.

A triple modality BSA-coated dendritic nanoplatform for NIR imaging, enhanced tumor penetration and anticancer therapy

Functional theranostic systems for drug delivery capable of concurrent near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging, active tumor targeting and anticancer therapies are desired for concise cancer diagnosis and treatment. Dendrimers with controllable size and surface functionalities are good candidates for such platforms. However, integration of active targeting ligands and imaging agents separately on the surface or encapsulation of the imaging agents in the inner core of the dendrimers will result in a more complex composition or reduced drug loading efficiency. Herein, we reported a PAMAM-based theranostic system, with a simple integrin-specific imaging ligand prepared from two motifs. One motif is a NIR carbocyanine fluorescent dye (Cyp) for precise in vivo monitoring of the system and identification of tumor or cancer cells, and the other is a novel tumor-penetrating cyclic peptide (CRGDKGPDC, abbreviated iRGD). BSA was non-covalently bonded with Cyp to reduce NIR agent fluorescence-quenching aggregates and enhance imaging signals. The chemotherapy effect of these dendritic systems was achieved by encapsulating paclitaxel into the hydrophobic interior of the dendrimers. In vitro and in vivo targeting and penetrating studies revealed that a significantly high amount of the dendritic systems was endocytosed by HepG2 cells and enhanced accumulation and penetration at tumor sites. Our safety evaluation showed that masking of cationic-end groups of PAMAM to neutral or anionic groups has resulted in decreased or even zero-toxicity. The preliminary antitumor efficacy of the dendritic system was evaluated. In vitro and in vivo studies confirmed that paclitaxel-encapsulated functionalized PAMAM can efficiently kill HepG2 cancer cells. In conclusion, our functionalized theranostic dendritic system could be a promising nanocarrier to effectively deliver drugs to deep tumor regions for anticancer therapy.

Bio-nano interface and environment: A critical review

The bio-nano interface is the boundary where engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) meet the biological system, exerting the biological function for which they have been designed or inducing adverse effects on other cells or organisms when they reach nontarget scenarios (i.e., the natural environment). Research has been performed to determine the fate, transport, and toxic properties of ENMs, but much of it is focused on pristine or so-called as-manufactured ENMs, or else modifications of the materials were not assessed. We review the most recent progress regarding the bio-nano interface and the transformations that ENMs undergo in the environment, paying special attention to the adsorption of environmental biomolecules on the surface of ENMs. Whereas the protein corona has received considerable attention in the fields of biomedics and human toxicology, its environmental analogue (the eco-corona) has been much less studied. A section dedicated to the analytical methods for studying and characterizing the eco-corona is also presented. We conclude by presenting and discussing the key problems and knowledge gaps that need to be resolved in the near future regarding the bio-nano interface and the eco-corona. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3181-3193. © 2017 SETAC.

Dendrimer-functionalized electrospun nanofibres as dual-action water treatment membranes

This work reports the preparation of composite electrospun membranes combining antimicrobial action with the capacity of retaining low-molecular weight non-polar pollutants. The membranes were electrospun blends of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) stabilized using heat curing. The membranes were functionalized by grafting amino-terminated poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) G3 dendrimers. The antimicrobial effect was assessed using strains of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus by tracking their capacity to form new colonies and their metabolic impairment upon contact with membranes. The antimicrobial activity was particularly high to the gram-positive bacterium S. aureus with a 3-log reduction in their capacity to colonize dendrimer-functionalized membranes with respect to neat PVA/PAA fibers. The effect to gram-positive bacteria was attributed to the interaction of dendrimers with the negatively charged bacterial membranes and resulted in membranes essentially free of bacterial colonization after 20h in contact with cultures at 36°C. The adsorption of toluene on PAA/PVA fibers and on dendrimer-functionalized membranes was assayed using toluene over a broad concentration range. The host-guest encapsulation of toluene inside dendrimer molecules was computed through docking studies, which allowed calculating a maximum capacity of 14 molecules of toluene per molecule of PAMAM G3. The theoretical prediction was in good agreement with the experimental capacity at the higher concentrations assayed.