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Hołyst R, Bubak G, Kalwarczyk T, Kwapiszewska K, Michalski J, Pilz M. Living Cell as a Self-Synchronized Chemical Reactor. J Phys Chem Lett 2024; 15:3559-3570. [PMID: 38526849 PMCID: PMC11000238 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c00190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Thermal fluctuations power all processes inside living cells. Therefore, these processes are inherently random. However, myriad multistep chemical reactions act in concerto inside a cell, finally leading to this chemical reactor's self-replication. We speculate that an underlying mechanism in nature must exist that allows all of these reactions to synchronize at multiple time and length scales, overcoming in this way the random nature of any single process in a cell. This Perspective discusses what type of research is needed to understand this undiscovered synchronization law.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Hołyst
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Bubak
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tomasz Kalwarczyk
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karina Kwapiszewska
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jarosław Michalski
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marta Pilz
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
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2
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Gendron D, Bubak G. Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene Materials as Xenobiotics in Living Systems: Is There a Consensus on Their Safety? J Xenobiot 2023; 13:740-760. [PMID: 38132708 PMCID: PMC10744618 DOI: 10.3390/jox13040047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Carbon nanotubes and graphene are two types of nanomaterials that have unique properties and potential applications in various fields, including biomedicine, energy storage, and gas sensing. However, there is still a debate about the safety of these materials, and there is yet to be a complete consensus on their potential risks to human health and the environment. While some studies have provided recommendations for occupational exposure limits, more research is needed to fully understand the potential risks of these materials to human health and the environment. In this review, we will try to summarize the advantages and disadvantages of using carbon nanotubes and graphene as well as composites containing them in the context of their biocompatibility and toxicity to living systems. In addition, we overview current policy guidelines and technical regulations regarding the safety of carbon-based nanomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Gendron
- Kemitek, Cégep de Thetford, 835 Rue Mooney, Thetford Mines, QC G6G 0A5, Canada
| | - Grzegorz Bubak
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland;
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3
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Kowalski A, Bielec K, Bubak G, Żuk PJ, Czajkowski M, Sashuk V, Huck WTS, Antosiewicz JM, Holyst R. Author Correction: Effective screening of Coulomb repulsions in water accelerates reactions of like-charged compounds by orders of magnitude. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6778. [PMID: 36351921 PMCID: PMC9646811 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34650-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Adam Kowalski
- grid.413454.30000 0001 1958 0162Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, 01-224 Poland
| | - Krzysztof Bielec
- grid.7400.30000 0004 1937 0650University of Zurich, Department of Chemistry, Zurich, CH-8057 Switzerland
| | - Grzegorz Bubak
- grid.413454.30000 0001 1958 0162Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, 01-224 Poland
| | - Pawel J. Żuk
- grid.413454.30000 0001 1958 0162Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, 01-224 Poland ,grid.9835.70000 0000 8190 6402Lancaster University, Department of Physics, Lancaster, LA1 4YB UK
| | - Maciej Czajkowski
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948University of Oxford, Department of Chemistry, Oxford, OX1 3TA UK
| | - Volodymyr Sashuk
- grid.413454.30000 0001 1958 0162Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, 01-224 Poland
| | - Wilhelm T. S. Huck
- grid.5590.90000000122931605Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ Netherlands
| | - Jan M. Antosiewicz
- grid.12847.380000 0004 1937 1290Institute of Experimental Physics, Biophysics Division, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, 02-093 Poland
| | - Robert Holyst
- grid.413454.30000 0001 1958 0162Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, 01-224 Poland
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Bielec K, Kowalski A, Bubak G, Witkowska Nery E, Hołyst R. Ion Complexation Explains Orders of Magnitude Changes in the Equilibrium Constant of Biochemical Reactions in Buffers Crowded by Nonionic Compounds. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:112-117. [PMID: 34962392 PMCID: PMC8762655 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c03596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The equilibrium constant (K) of biochemical complex formation in aqueous buffers with high concentration (>20 wt %) of nonionic compounds can vary by orders of magnitude in comparison with the K in a pure buffer. The precise molecular mechanisms of these profound changes are not known. Herein, we show up to a 1000-fold decrease of the K value of DNA hybridization (at nM concentration) in standard molecular crowder systems such as PEG, dextrans, Ficoll, and glycerol. The effect responsible for the decrease of K is the complexation of positively charged ions from a buffer by nonionic polymers/small molecules. We determined the average equilibrium constant for the complexation of ions per monomer (∼0.49 M-1). We retrieve K's original value for a pure buffer if we properly increase the ionic strength of the buffer crowded by the polymers, compensating for the loss of complexed ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Bielec
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of
Sciences, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
- Institute
of Chemical Sciences and Engineering,
EPFL CH C2 425, Bâtiment CH, Station 6, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Adam Kowalski
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of
Sciences, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Bubak
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of
Sciences, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Robert Hołyst
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of
Sciences, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
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Bubak G, Kwapiszewska K, Kalwarczyk T, Bielec K, Andryszewski T, Iwan M, Bubak S, Hołyst R. Quantifying Nanoscale Viscosity and Structures of Living Cells Nucleus from Mobility Measurements. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:294-301. [PMID: 33346672 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c03052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the mobility of nano-objects in the eukaryotic cell nucleus, at multiple length-scales, is essential for dissecting nuclear structure-function relationships both in space and in time. Here, we demonstrate, using single-molecule fluorescent correlation spectroscopies, that motion of inert probes (proteins, polymers, or nanoparticles) with diameters ranging from 2.6 to 150 nm is mostly unobstructed in a nucleus. Supported by the analysis of electron tomography images, these results advocate the ∼150 nm-wide interchromosomal channels filled with the aqueous diluted protein solution. The nucleus is percolated by these channels to allow various cargos to migrate freely at the nanoscale. We determined the volume of interchromosomal channels in the HeLa cell nucleus to 237 ± 61 fL, which constitutes 34% of the cell nucleus volume. The volume fraction of mobile proteins in channels equals 16% ± 4%, and the concentration is 1 mM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grzegorz Bubak
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karina Kwapiszewska
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tomasz Kalwarczyk
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Bielec
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tomasz Andryszewski
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Michalina Iwan
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Szymon Bubak
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Robert Hołyst
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
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Abstract
The efficient delivery of drugs to cells depends on their diffusion through the extracellular matrix (ECM) of tissues. Here we present a study on the diffusion of nanoprobes of radius from 1 nm to over 100 nm in the ECM of spheroids of three cell types (HeLa, MCF-7 and fibroblasts). We quantified the nanoparticle transport in the spheroids' proliferating zone. We determined the size-dependent viscosity of the ECM. We revealed that nanoobjects up to 10 nm in radius exhibited unobstructed diffusion in the ECM, regardless of the spheroid type. The presented length-scale dependent viscosity profiles for spheroids pave the way for advanced modelling of drug administration through tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Pilz
- Department of Soft Condensed Matter, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Karina Kwapiszewska
- Department of Soft Condensed Matter, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Tomasz Kalwarczyk
- Department of Soft Condensed Matter, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Grzegorz Bubak
- Department of Soft Condensed Matter, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Dominika Nowis
- Genomic Medicine, Medical University, Warsaw, Poland and Laboratory of Experimental Medicine, Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Poland
| | - Robert Hołyst
- Department of Soft Condensed Matter, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
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Bielec K, Bubak G, Kalwarczyk T, Holyst R. Analysis of Brightness of a Single Fluorophore for Quantitative Characterization of Biochemical Reactions. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:1941-1948. [PMID: 32059107 PMCID: PMC7497653 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c00770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Intrinsic
molecular brightness (MB) is a number of emitted photons
per second per molecule. When a substrate labeled by a fluorophore
and a second unlabeled substrate form a complex in solution, the MB
of the fluorophore changes. Here we use this change to determine the equilibrium constant (K) for the formation of the complex at pM concentrations.
To illustrate this method, we used a reaction of DNA hybridization,
where only one of the strands was fluorescently labeled. We determined K at the substrate concentrations from 80 pM to 30 nM. We
validated this method against Förster resonance energy transfer
(FRET). This method is much simpler than FRET as it requires only
one fluorophore in the complex with a very small (a f̃ew percent)
change in MB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Bielec
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Bubak
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tomasz Kalwarczyk
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Robert Holyst
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
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Bubak G, Gendron D, Ceseracciu L, Ansaldo A, Ricci D. Parylene-coated ionic liquid-carbon nanotube actuators for user-safe haptic devices. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2015; 7:15542-15550. [PMID: 26132784 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5b04006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Simple fabrication, high power-to-weight and power-to-volume ratios, and the ability to operate in open air at low voltage make the ionic electroactive polymer actuators highly attractive for haptic applications. Whenever a direct tactile stimulation of the skin is involved, electrical and chemical insulation as well as a long-term stability of the actuator are required. Because of its inherent physicochemical properties such as high dielectric strength, resistance to solvents, and biological inactivity, Parylene C meets the requirements for making biocompatible actuators. We have studied the displacement and the generated force of Parylene-coated carbon nanotube actuators as well as the encapsulation quality. A 2 μm coating creates an effective electrical insulation of the actuators without altering the blocking force at frequencies from 50 mHz to 1 Hz. Moreover, the generated strain is preserved at higher frequencies (from 0.5 to 5 Hz). We employed a simple mechanical model to explain the relation between the key parameters-flexural stiffness, displacement, and force-for uncoated and coated actuators. In addition, we demonstrated that our Parylene-coated actuators are not damaged by rinsing in liquid media such as 2-propanol or water. In conclusion, our results indicate that Parylene C encapsulated actuators are safe to touch and can be used in contact with human skin and in biomedical applications in direct contact with tissues and physiological fluids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grzegorz Bubak
- †Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Robotics, Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department, Via Morego 30, Genoa, Italy, 16163
| | - David Gendron
- †Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Robotics, Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department, Via Morego 30, Genoa, Italy, 16163
| | - Luca Ceseracciu
- ‡Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Smart Materials, Via Morego 30, Genoa, Italy, 16163
| | - Alberto Ansaldo
- †Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Robotics, Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department, Via Morego 30, Genoa, Italy, 16163
| | - Davide Ricci
- †Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Robotics, Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department, Via Morego 30, Genoa, Italy, 16163
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10
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Bojar W, Kucharska M, Bubak G, Ciach T, Koperski Ł, Jastrzębski Z, Gruber BM, Krzysztoń-Russjan J, Marczewska J, Anuszewska EL, Drozd E, Brynk T. Formation and preclinical evaluation of a new alloplastic injectable bone substitute material. Acta Bioeng Biomech 2012; 14:39-44. [PMID: 22742431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Alloplastic bone substitute materials are raising some more interest as an alternative for autologic transplants and xenogenic materials especially in oral surgery over the last few years. These non-immunogenic and completely resorbable biomaterials are the basis for complete and predictable guided bone regeneration. In the majority of cases, such a material is chosen because of its convenient application by surgeons. The main objective of our project was to design and fabricate an osteoconductive, injectable and readily tolerable by human tissues biomaterial for guided bone regeneration. For this purpose, a self-setting composite consisting of chitosan/tricalcium phosphate microparticles and sodium alginate was made. The material obtained was characterized by microsphere and agglomerate morphology and microstructure. Its features relating to setting time and mechanical properties were precisely investigated. Our material was also evaluated according to PN-EN ISO 10993 Biological evaluation of medical devices, i.e., the in vitro tests for genotoxicity and cytotoxicity were conduced. Then, the following examinations were performed: subchronic systemic toxicity, skin sensitization, irritation and delayed-type hypersensitivity and local effects after implantation. The material tested showed a high degree of cytocompatibility, fulfilled the requirements of International Standards and seemed to be a "user friendly" material for oral surgeons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Witold Bojar
- Medical Devices Department, National Medicines Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
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