Self-assembly of amino acids toward functional biomaterials

• Huan Ren,
• Lifang Wu,
• Lina Tan,
• Yanni Bao,
• Yuchen Ma,
• Yong Jin and
• Qianli Zou

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 1140–1150, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.85

• photosensitization activity and photostability of phthalocyanine. Camptothecin can induce tumor apoptosis by inhibiting the activity of topoisomerase I [90]. However, camptothecin has some major limitations in therapeutic applications, such as poor water solubility and rapid lactone ring hydrolysis at physiological

Use of nanosystems to improve the anticancer effects of curcumin

• Andrea M. Araya-Sibaja,
• Norma J. Salazar-López,
• Krissia Wilhelm Romero,
• José R. Vega-Baudrit,
• J. Abraham Domínguez-Avila,
• Carlos A. Velázquez Contreras,
• Ramón E. Robles-Zepeda,
• Mirtha Navarro-Hoyos and
• Gustavo A. González-Aguilar

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 1047–1062, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.78

• nanoemulsion (25 µM-7 µM) inhibited cell proliferation by 50% via cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and induced apoptosis. In addition, a CUR nanoemulsion exerted a four-fold increase in caspase-3, in contrast to a six-fold increase exerted by co-administered CUR–PIP. Curcumin is also commonly co-loaded in

• the expulsion of the bioactive compound and, therefore, a rapid initial release [66]. Curcumin-loaded SLN were tested in vitro against MDA-MB-231 cells, which revealed a significantly higher cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, and induced apoptosis, as compared to F-CUR [67]. Curcumin-based SLN have shown

• receptors), while the enhanced effect of permeation and retention was considered for passive targeting. Results showed improved in vitro cellular uptake, targeting capability, and cytotoxicity against the human colon cancer cell line HCT116, which was related to early apoptosis after 24 h of incubation. On

Comprehensive review on ultrasound-responsive theranostic nanomaterials: mechanisms, structures and medical applications

• Sepand Tehrani Fateh,
• Lida Moradi,
• Elmira Kohan,
• Michael R. Hamblin and
• Amin Shiralizadeh Dezfuli

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 808–862, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.64

Silver nanoparticles induce the cardiomyogenic differentiation of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells via telomere length extension

• Khosro Adibkia,
• Ali Ehsani,
• Asma Jodaei,
• Ezzatollah Fathi,
• Raheleh Farahzadi and
• Mohammad Barzegar-Jalali

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 786–797, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.62

• the number of myocytes due to myocyte necrosis and apoptosis [1]. In the therapies of chronic heart failure (CHF) adrenergic and angiotensin signaling pathways are interrupted, while the therapies do not replace the dying myocytes during CHF progression [2]. Stem cells and some progenitor cells have

A review on nanostructured silver as a basic ingredient in medicine: physicochemical parameters and characterization

• Gabriel M. Misirli,
• Kishore Sridharan and
• Shirley M. P. Abrantes

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 440–461, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.36

• that AgNPs produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). The accumulation of intracellular ROS is well known as an important regulator of apoptosis [72]. The production of oxidative species may be due to trapped electrons in the respiratory chain. Antioxidant enzymes are unlikely to detoxify species generated

• oxidative changes in the internal structure of cellular proteins, RNA, and DNA leading to redox changes, which in extreme conditions can lead to cell death by apoptosis [11][23][108]. Wakshlak et al. presented a new action mechanism of silver, called the "zombie effect". The AgNPs interact with the cellular

The impact of molecular tumor profiling on the design strategies for targeting myeloid leukemia and EGFR/CD44-positive solid tumors

• Nikola Geskovski,
• Nadica Matevska-Geshkovska,
• Simona Dimchevska Sazdovska,
• Marija Glavas Dodov,
• Kristina Mladenovska and
• Katerina Goracinova

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 375–401, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.31

• plasticity of the leukemic cells combined with diverse resistance mechanisms allows malignant cells to naturally adapt to drugs. Several resistance mechanisms have been acknowledged, including failure of the cell to undergo chemotherapy-induced apoptosis and failure of the drug to reach and/or affect its

• dose-dependent side effects of both drugs. In part, this was also accomplished by the low-dose synergistic effect of countering different biological signaling pathways, with the goal of achieving short-term BCR–ABL1 kinase inhibition that resulted in induction of apoptosis in BCR–ABL1-positive and

• was used. In addition, it was pointed out that the cell proliferation was inhibited due to the significantly increased rate of apoptosis in the A549 cell line, while no alteration of the cell cycle distribution was noticed. The effects in the H1299 cells with low EGFR expression were negligible. The

A review on the biological effects of nanomaterials on silkworm (Bombyx mori)

• Sandra Senyo Fometu,
• Guohua Wu,
• Lin Ma and
• Joan Shine Davids

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 190–202, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.15

• subcutaneous injection activated superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) antioxidant enzymes. These enzymes are liable for eliminating excess ROS , and therefore the activation of these enzymes is connected to the expression of apoptosis-related genes within the silkworm

• rates were significantly higher in the QD 530 nm group. They demonstrated that CdTe QDs with a particle size of 530 nm induced higher hemocyte apoptosis when compared to the CdTe QDs 720 nm group due to their smaller particle size and inhibitory effects on hematopoiesis. Silkworm fed with 100 ppm of Ag

• NPs increased production levels of ROS, which resulted in cell apoptosis, necrosis, and DNA damage [132]. This mortality rate was higher when compared to silkworm groups fed with 1 and 10 ppm of Ag NPs. These results are in accordance with studies carried out by Meng et al., who stated that although

Imaging of SARS-CoV-2 infected Vero E6 cells by helium ion microscopy

• Natalie Frese,
• Patrick Schmerer,
• Martin Wortmann,
• Matthias Schürmann,
• Matthias König,
• Michael Westphal,
• Friedemann Weber,
• Holger Sudhoff and
• Armin Gölzhäuser

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 172–179, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.13

• infection of approximately 1 (MOI 1) and an incubation time of 18 h. The surface of the infected cells is covered by a number of micrometer-sized vesicles and segments of cell membranes, which is a first indication that apoptosis occurred during viral replication. Regularly shaped particles below 100 nm

Effect of different silica coatings on the toxicity of upconversion nanoparticles on RAW 264.7 macrophage cells

• Cynthia Kembuan,
• Helena Oliveira and
• Christina Graf

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 35–48, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.3

• oxidative stress and cause apoptosis. In addition, intracellular redox homeostasis and gene expression can be modulated [26]. Lanthanide ions are usually not reported as highly toxic. However, they can interact with proteins, enzymes, and other biomolecules [27][28] and might also cause oxidative damage or

PEG/PEI-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes as delivery carriers for doxorubicin: synthesis, characterization, and in vitro evaluation

• Shuoye Yang,
• Zhenwei Wang,
• Yahong Ping,
• Yuying Miao,
• Yongmei Xiao,
• Lingbo Qu,
• Lu Zhang,
• Yuansen Hu and
• Jinshui Wang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1728–1741, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.155

• antitumor activity. Furthermore, fluorescence detection and flow cytometry (FCM) analysis results indicated that the internalization into cells of CNTs-PEG-PEI was significantly enhanced, thus inducing tumor cell death through apoptosis more efficiently. The above series of benefits of CNTs-PEG-PEI may be

• CNTs. Furthermore, apoptosis induced by DOX-loaded CNTs was also analyzed. The results show that the SWCNTs were shortened by treatment with different acids, and the resulting carriers are well dispersed. The functionalized CNTs conjugated with PEG and PEI can be internalized into cells more

• efficiently, and release the loaded DOX in a pH value-dependent manner. They show effective growth inhibition towards tumor cells through inducing apoptosis. Experimental Chemicals and reagents SWCNTs with high purity were purchased from Chengdu Organic Chemicals Co. Ltd., Chinese Academy of Sciences

Applications of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in drug and therapeutic delivery, and biotechnological advancements

• Maria Suciu,
• Corina M. Ionescu,
• Alexandra Ciorita,
• Septimiu C. Tripon,
• Dragos Nica,
• Hani Al-Salami and
• Lucian Barbu-Tudoran

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1092–1109, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.94

• at a concentration of 400 µg Fe/mL, in contrast to the PEG-coated SPIONs, which reached 50% toxicity at 100 µg Fe/mL. Dextran was shown to get stripped from the nanoparticles in macrophages that were later apoptotic. The authors concluded that apoptosis was caused first by dextran intoxication and

• . They did not obtain a measurable difference in temperature while still more that 70% of the cells died by apoptosis after hyperthermia treatment [149]. There are nanoparticle combinations of iron with zinc, manganese or nickel that have better heating properties under an alternating magnetic field

• brain tumors. By Fenton reaction of the iron ions in the cytoplasm, they induced apoptosis due to iron overload. This process, named ferroptosis, was shown to reduce brain tumors in mice [135] and the number breast cancer cells [155], and also to eliminate the ability of cancer cells to develop

Examination of the relationship between viscoelastic properties and the invasion of ovarian cancer cells by atomic force microscopy

• Mengdan Chen,
• Jinshu Zeng,
• Weiwei Ruan,
• Zhenghong Zhang,
• Yuhua Wang,
• Shusen Xie,
• Zhengchao Wang and
• Hongqin Yang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 568–582, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.45

• with cancer invasion after anticancer drug treatment [24][25]. Echinomycin serves as a potential therapeutic agent through the induction of cell apoptosis, which is typically used in the treatment of epithelial cancers, including ovary, breast and prostate cancers [26][27][28][29]. Inhibitory

Luminescent gold nanoclusters for bioimaging applications

• Nonappa

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 533–546, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.42

• as well as cellular apoptosis studies. Lin et al. reported 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUDA)-capped AuNCs (Au-MUDA) as luminescent probes for nuclear targeting and intracellular imaging [86]. The Au-MUDA NCs were conjugated with SV40 (PKKKRKV), a specific peptide for nuclear-localization signal (NLS

Poly(1-vinylimidazole) polyplexes as novel therapeutic gene carriers for lung cancer therapy

• Gayathri Kandasamy,
• Elena N. Danilovtseva,
• Vadim V. Annenkov and
• Uma Maheswari Krishnan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 354–369, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.26

• the intensity obtained for β-actin band was used to normalize the band intensity of the corresponding VEGF protein band. Flow cytometry: Apoptotic cells were visualized using an Annexin V-FITC apoptosis detection kit (BD Biosciences, San Jose, USA) according to the manufacturer’s protocol. Briefly

Using gold nanoparticles to detect single-nucleotide polymorphisms: toward liquid biopsy

• María Sanromán Iglesias and
• Marek Grzelczak

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 263–284, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.20

• . Several release mechanisms have been identified. 1) Secretion after cell death through apoptosis and necrosis, 2) secretion from tumor cells in the form of free or encapsulated DNA fragments, and 3) secretion from phagocytized tumor cells [35][36][37][38]. It has been observed that with the increase of

• tumor load, the local fraction of ctDNA increases compared to the overall amount of cfDNA in the sample [39]. However, this tendency is patient-dependent. The average length of ctDNA fragments generated from cell apoptosis ranges from 145 to 180 bp. Longer fragments of up to 10 kbp are secreted by cell

• in the further development of personalized medicine. Alterations in cell-free DNA. Cell-free DNA can be released from both cancerous and normal cells located in the tumor environment through apoptosis, necrosis or secretion. Once in the bloodstream, cfDNA may exist either free or associated with

Rational design of block copolymer self-assemblies in photodynamic therapy

• Maxime Demazeau,
• Laure Gibot,
• Anne-Françoise Mingotaud,
• Patricia Vicendo,
• Clément Roux and
• Barbara Lonetti

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 180–212, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.15

Design of a nanostructured mucoadhesive system containing curcumin for buccal application: from physicochemical to biological aspects

• Sabrina Barbosa de Souza Ferreira,
• Gustavo Braga,
• Évelin Lemos Oliveira,
• Jéssica Bassi da Silva,
• Hélen Cássia Rosseto,
• Lidiane Vizioli de Castro Hoshino,
• Mauro Luciano Baesso,
• Wilker Caetano,
• Craig Murdoch,
• Helen Elizabeth Colley and
• Marcos Luciano Bruschi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 2304–2328, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.222

• drug has been evidenced and shown to act on a variety of molecular targets that regulate the proliferation and apoptosis, decrease the expression of NF-κB and increase insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 5 (IGFBP-5) and cytochrome P450, family 1, member A1 (CYP1A1) [32][33][34]. Moreover, CUR

Synthesis and potent cytotoxic activity of a novel diosgenin derivative and its phytosomes against lung cancer cells

• Liang Xu,
• Dekang Xu,
• Ziying Li,
• Yu Gao and
• Haijun Chen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1933–1942, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.189

• efficiently than Di phytosomes after 72 h of incubation time by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. The results indicated that P2Ps could be a promising anticancer formulation for non-small-cell lung cancer. Keywords: diosgenin; non-small-cell lung cancer; phytosomes; sterol structure; Introduction

• anticancer activities, such as restraining the hTERT gene expression in A549 lung cancer cells [3], inhibiting breast cancer stem-like cells via Wnt β-catenin signaling [4], impeding hepatocellular carcinoma cells by increasing DDX3 expression [5], and inducing apoptosis of prostate cancer cells through

• antiproliferative activity against A549 and PC9 cells than Di. Cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induced by P2 The cell cycle is the series of events that take place in cells for their propagation and multiplication. The phases consist of the gap-1 phase (G1), synthesis phase (S), mitosis phase (M), and gap-2 phase

Toxicity and safety study of silver and gold nanoparticles functionalized with cysteine and glutathione

• Barbara Pem,
• Igor M. Pongrac,
• Lea Ulm,
• Ivan Pavičić,
• Valerije Vrček,
• Darija Domazet Jurašin,
• Marija Ljubojević,
• Adela Krivohlavek and
• Ivana Vinković Vrček

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1802–1817, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.175

• , reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, apoptosis induction and DNA damage in murine fibroblast cells (L929), while ecotoxicity was tested using the aquatic model organism Daphnia magna. The toxicity of these nanoparticles was considerably lower compared to their ionic metal forms (i.e., Ag+ and Au3

• studies indicating that AgNPs negatively impact cell membranes, interfere with signaling pathways, disrupt the cell cycle, and cause mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, DNA damage and apoptosis [7][8][9]. Many reports on AgNP toxicity attribute it fully or partially to dissolved or released ionic

• [26][27][28][29][30][31][32]. Most likely, a mechanism of their toxicity is the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) that trigger necrosis or apoptosis [33]. So far, a general consensus regarding NP toxicity is that their toxic effects cannot be conclusively

Effects of gold and PCL- or PLLA-coated silica nanoparticles on brain endothelial cells and the blood–brain barrier

• Aniela Bittner,
• Angélique D. Ducray,
• Hans Rudolf Widmer,
• Michael H. Stoffel and
• Meike Mevissen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 941–954, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.95

• and lysosomes in microglia [10]. None of the NPs investigated resulted in cytotoxicity, decreased cell viability, apoptosis, autophagy or inflammation. However, exposure to NPs led to oxidative stress via depletion of cellular glutathione and to a downregulation of neuronal differentiation markers in

• kidney cells. Si-NPs induced time- and concentration-dependent neuronal cell death by production of reactive oxygen species and reduction of glutathione levels [12]. Similarly, Si-NPs led to morphological changes, concentration-dependent membrane damage, decreased cell viability, increased apoptosis

• inflammation and apoptosis via connection to the NF-κB pathway [22]. Size- and dose-dependent cytotoxicity and disruption of the BBB after exposure to SiO2 particles were shown in a human model and confirmed in vivo [23]. Integrity and function of the BBB of primary porcine brain microvascular ECs (PBECs) in

The systemic effect of PEG-nGO-induced oxidative stress in vivo in a rodent model

• Qura Tul Ain,
• Samina Hyder Haq,
• Abeer Alshammari,
• Moudhi Abdullah Al-Mutlaq and
• Muhammad Naeem Anjum

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 901–911, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.91

• and found that treatment with GO can extract phospholipid and cholesterol from the plasma membrane of human alveolar epithelial A549 cells, producing surface pores [50][51]. This effect greatly reduced the cell viability and results in cellular damage and apoptosis, and long-term exposure could cause

Targeting strategies for improving the efficacy of nanomedicine in oncology

• Gonzalo Villaverde and
• Alejandro Baeza

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 168–181, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.16

• subcellular localizations [42][82]. There are many cytotoxic drugs, such as doxorubicin, that induce cell apoptosis through intercalation with nuclear DNA. Further, gene silencing therapies based on an effective delivery of short hairpin RNA (shRNA) bearing genes for small interfering RNA (siRNA) need nuclear

• inducing cell apoptosis, such as gamitrinibs and cisplatin [84]. One of the best ways to bring molecules or nanocarriers to mitochondria is by using positively charged groups. These motives are able to escape from the early endosome and reach to the mitochondria [85][86]. One of the most commonly used

Characterization and influence of hydroxyapatite nanopowders on living cells

• Przemyslaw Oberbek,
• Tomasz Bolek,
• Adrian Chlanda,
• Seishiro Hirano,
• Sylwia Kusnieruk,
• Julia Rogowska-Tylman,
• Ganna Nechyporenko,
• Viktor Zinchenko,
• Wojciech Swieszkowski and
• Tomasz Puzyn

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 3079–3094, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.286

• ions play an important role in cellular processes such as transcription, motility, exocytosis and apoptosis [68]. Intracellular calcium acts as a secondary messenger [69][70] and its concentration is strictly regulated by the cell [71]. A toxic effect occurs when more cells are dying than are produced

• by cell division, and is connected to apoptosis, i.e., programmed cell death. According to Ramovatar et al. [49], a high intracellular Ca2+ concentration may trigger a cascade of events, i.e., the activation of calpain (protein kinases), the disruption of the cytoskeletal integrity [72], the

• induction of stress inside the cell and the activation of the tumour-suppressor gene p53 [73][74], which promotes the downstream gene expression finally leading to an apoptosis. Gene p53 is also activated by phosphorylation, that is, the attachment of the phosphate group (PO43−) to the protein chain [75][76

Hybrid Au@alendronate nanoparticles as dual chemo-photothermal agent for combined cancer treatment

• Anouchka Plan Sangnier,
• Romain Aufaure,
• Laurence Motte,
• Claire Wilhelm,
• Erwann Guenin and
• Yoann Lalatonne

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2947–2952, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.273

• . They inhibit the prenylation of GTPase proteins, which affects cell morphology, replication and signalling that can cause cell death by apoptosis [8][9]. However, the in vivo therapeutic use of HMBPs is limited by low bioavailability. Once intravenously injected, free HMBPs are only slightly

Comparative biological effects of spherical noble metal nanoparticles (Rh, Pd, Ag, Pt, Au) with 4–8 nm diameter

• Alexander Rostek,
• Marina Breisch,
• Kevin Pappert,
• Kateryna Loza,
• Marc Heggen,
• Manfred Köller,
• Christina Sengstock and
• Matthias Epple

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2763–2774, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.258

• ]. Some authors have reported antimicrobial activity of gold, platinum, and palladium nanoparticles in the size range of 5 to 30 nm against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria [23][24][25] and distinct adverse biological effects such as genotoxicity, induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of