Peroxidase-Like Activity of Magnetic Nanoparticles in the Presence of Blood Proteins

The generation of hydroxyl radicals from hydrogen peroxide in aqueous solutions containing magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), hemoglobin (Hb), immunoglobulin G (IgG), and human serum albumin (HSA) was determined. The dependence of the rate of formation of the oxidized product of o-phenylenediamine (o-PDA) on the concentration of MNPs in solution, as well as on the concentration of proteins, was obtained. The peroxidase-like activity of MNPs was shown to decrease in the presence of HSA and IgG, while the addition of Hb to the reaction mixture led to its decrease and increase depending on protein concentration. The obtained effects can be used in the engineering of systems based on MNPs for theranostics (in particular, for suppression of tumor growth) and in predicting the ability of particles to catalyze the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vivo.

Oxidative damage to βL-crystallin in vitro by iron compounds formed in physiological buffers

β_L-crystallin aggregation due to oxidative damage in the presence of H₂O₂ and ferric chloride was studied in-vitro under conditions close to physiological. It was shown that the protein aggregation characterized by the nucleation time and the aggregation rate significantly depended on the composition of the isoosmotic buffers used, and decreased in the series HEPES buffer > Tris buffer > PBS. Ferric chloride at neutral pH was converted into water-insoluble iron hydroxide III (≡Fe^IIIOH). According to the data of scanning electron microscopy the ≡Fe^IIIOH particles formed in HEPES buffer, Tris buffer, and PBS practically did not differ in structure. However, the sizes of ≡Fe^IIIOH floating particles measured by dynamic light scattering differed significantly and were 44 ± 28 nm, 93 ± 66 nm, 433 ± 316 nm (Z_aver ± SD) for HEPES buffer, Tris buffer, and PBS, respectively. It was found by the spin trap method that the ability of ≡Fe^IIIOH to decompose H₂O₂ with the formation of a ^•OH decreases in the series HEPES buffer, Tris buffer, and PBS. The authors suggest that the ability to generate ^•OH during the decomposition of H₂O₂ is determined by the total surface area of ≡Fe^IIIOH particles, which significantly depends on the composition of the buffer in which these particles are formed.

Albumin-Functionalized Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Theranostics: Engineering and Long-Term In Situ Imaging

Magnetic nanosystems (MNSs) consisting of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) coated by human serum albumin (HSA), commonly used as a component of hybrid nanosystems for theranostics, were engineered and characterized. The HSA coating was obtained by means of adsorption and free radical modification of the protein molecules on the surface of IONPs exhibiting peroxidase-like activity. The generation of hydroxyl radicals in the reaction of IONPs with hydrogen peroxide was proven by the spin trap technique. The methods of dynamic light scattering (DLS) and electron magnetic resonance (EMR) were applied to confirm the stability of the coatings formed on the surface of the IONPs. The synthesized MNSs (d ~35 nm by DLS) were intraarterially administered in tumors implanted to rats in the dose range from 20 to 60 μg per animal and studied in vivo as a contrasting agent for computed tomography. The long-term (within 14 days of the experiment) presence of the MNSs in the tumor vascular bed was detected without immediate or delayed adverse reactions and significant systemic toxic effects during the observation period. The peroxidase-like activity of MNSs was proven by the colorimetric test with o-phenylenediamine (OPD) as a substrate. The potential of the synthesized MNSs to be used for theranostics, particularly, in oncology, was discussed.

Kinetics and Mechanism of Synthesis of Carboxyl-Containing N-Vinyl-2-Pyrrolidone Telehelics for Pharmacological Use

It was found that sulfanylethanoic and 3-sulfanylpropanoic acids are effective regulators of molecular weight with chain transfer constants of 0.441 and 0.317, respectively, and show an unexpected acceleration effect on the radical polymerization of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, initiated by 2,2’-azobisisobutyronitrile. It was determined for the first time that the thiolate anions of mercapto acids form a high-temperature redox initiating system with 2,2’-azobisisobutyronitrile during the radical polymerization of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone in 1,4-dioxane. Considering the peculiarities of initiation, a kinetic model of the polymerization of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone is proposed, and it is shown that the theoretical orders of the reaction rate, with respect to the monomer, initiator, and chain transfer agent, are 1, 0.75, 0.25, and are close to their experimentally determined values. Carboxyl-containing techelics of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone were synthesized so that it can slow down the release of the anticancer drug, doxorubicin, from aqueous solutions, which can find its application in the pharmacological field.

Chemical Oxidative Polymerization of Methylene Blue: Reaction Mechanism and Aspects of Chain Structure

The kinetic regularities of the initial stage of chemical oxidative polymerization of methylene blue under the action of ammonium peroxodisulfate in an aqueous medium have been established by the method of potentiometry. It was shown that the methylene blue polymerization mechanism includes the stages of chain initiation and growth. It was found that the rate of the initial stage of the reaction obeys the kinetic equation of the first order with the activation energy 49 kJ × mol^-1. Based on the proposed mechanism of oxidative polymerization of methylene blue and the data of MALDI, EPR, and IR spectroscopy methods, the structure of the polymethylene blue chain is proposed. It has been shown that polymethylene blue has a metallic luster, and its electrical conductivity is probably the result of conjugation over extended chain sections and the formation of charge transfer complexes. It was found that polymethylene blue is resistant to heating up to a temperature of 440 K and then enters into exothermic transformations without significant weight loss. When the temperature rises above 480 K, polymethylene blue is subject to endothermic degradation and retains 75% of its mass up to 1000 K.

Redox-Active Aqueous Microgels for Energy Storage Applications

The search for new environmental-friendly materials for energy storage is ongoing. In the presented paper, we propose polymer microgels as a new class of redox-active colloids (RACs). The microgel stable colloids are perspective low-viscosity fluids for advanced flow batteries with high volumetric energy density. In this research, we describe the procedure for the anchoring of 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (4-amino-TEMPO) redox-active sites to the polymeric chains of water-soluble microgels based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-poly(acrylic acid) interpenetrating networks. Using cyclic voltammetry and EPR spectroscopy, we show that ca. 14% of 4-amino-TEMPO groups retain electroactive properties and demonstrate the reversible redox response. It allows achieving a stable capacity of 2.5 mAh/g, enabling the low-viscous catholyte with a capacity of more than 100 mAh/L.

EPR spin probe study of polymer associative systems

Molecular dynamics of polyacrylamide gels, polymeric micelles and hydrogel of polyacrylic acid and macrodiisocyanate was investigated by the ESR spectroscopy of spin probes. The local mobility in network junction of polyacrylamide gels is found to be essentially slower than that in the micelles created by the low molecular weight detergents and does not depend on the amount and length of hydrophobic groups (C9 or C12) in the polymer chain. The immersion of 10-30 mol.% of ionic monomers into the polymer chain (sodium acrylate) influences insufficiently on the local mobility of network junctions. In aqueous solutions, polystyrene-block-poly-(N-ethyl-4-vinylpyridinium bromide) block copolymers create polymeric micelles. The local mobility in the polystyrene core of the micelles is about twice as much as that in the solid polystyrene. Partially swellable polymer network in aqueous solutions was synthesized from polyacrylic acid and macrodiisocyanate. The local mobility in hydrophobic regions of the gel is substantially lower than that in the hydrophilic regions. It was concluded that the hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions and the local dynamics of them dictate practical application of the polymer associative systems.

Possible mediators of the "living" radical polymerization

The stable radicals derived from different compounds were detected in process of styrene autopolymerization. The nitroxide radicals are produced from nitrosocompound, hindered hydroxylamine, nitrophenols and nitroanisoles. The phenoxyl radicals are formed from quinine methides, and naphtoxyl radicals are generated from 2-nitro-1-naphtol. The radicals are identified, the kinetics of their formation and follow-up evolution are studied. These radicals can participate in process of living radical polymerization as the mediators and can effect significantly on kinetics of polymerization and structure of the resulting polymer.