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Topic Review
Biography
Topic Review
Chemical Enzymology of Monoamine Oxidase
Monoamine oxidase (E.C. 1.4.3.4) enzymes MAO A and MAO B are FAD-containing proteins located on the outer face of the mitochondrial inner membrane, retained there by hydrophobic interactions and a transmembrane helix. The redox co-factor (FAD) is covalently attached to a cysteine and buried deep inside the protein behind an aromatic cage that aligns substrates towards the flavin. MAO metabolizes neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin in the nervous system so is a target for drugs to modify amine levels. MAO also metabolizes a wide range of biogenic amines in all tissues. Current accumulated evidence, particularly from theoretical modelling, supports hydride transfer as the chemical mechanism. The long active site cavity accommodates a wide chemical variety of small molecules designed as inhibitors, including coumarins, chromones, triazoles, and more. Inactivators that bind covalently to MAO include hydrazines, cyclopropylamines and propargylamines. This entry is an extract adapted from a review outlining the remaining uncertainties in the understanding of this key drug target.
1.2K
19 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Radiation Induced Graft Copolymerization
Radiation-induced graft copolymerization (RIGC) is a powerful technique enabling permanent tunable and desired surface modifications imparting antimicrobial properties to polymer substrates to prevent disease transmission and provide safer biomaterials and healthcare products.
560
19 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Chitosan-Based Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery
Nanoparticles (NPs) have an outstanding position in pharmaceutical, biological, and medical disciplines. Polymeric NPs based on chitosan (CS) can act as excellent drug carriers because of some intrinsic beneficial properties including biocompatibility, biodegradability, non-toxicity, bioactivity, easy preparation, and targeting specificity. Drug transport and release from CS-based particulate systems depend on the extent of cross-linking, morphology, size, and density of the particulate system, as well as physicochemical properties of the drug. All these aspects have to be considered when developing new CS-based NPs as potential drug delivery systems. This review is summarizing and discussing recent advances in CS-based NPs being developed and examined for drug delivery including the following sections: (i) CS and its derivatives, basic characteristics of CS NPs, (ii) preparation procedures used for CS NPs, (iii) CS-based-nanocomposites with organic polymers and inorganic material, and (iv) implementations of CS NPs and nanocomposites in drug delivery.
1.5K
18 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Protein-based Subunit Nanovaccine
Protein-based subunit nanovaccines are typically composed of native or altered protein antigens that can self-assemble into nanoparticles, or antigens associated with nanoparticles through covalent or noncovalent interactions. Characteristically, nanovaccines are 1 to 1000 nm in size which generally facilitates the induction of stronger immune responses.
612
18 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Optimizing Sustainability Opportunities for Biochar
Biochar is most commonly considered for its use as a soil amendment, where it has gained attention for its potential to improve agricultural production and soil health. Twenty years of near exponential growth in investigation has demonstrated that biochar does not consistently deliver these benefits, due to variables in biochar, soil, climate, and cropping systems. While biochar can provide agronomic improvements in marginal soils, it is less likely to do so in temperate climates and fertile soils. Here, biochar and its coproducts may be better utilized for contaminant remediation or the substitution of nonrenewable or mining-intensive materials.
755
18 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Therapeutic Potential of G-quadruplex Structural Junctions
We analyze further extension of G-quadruplexes by additional structural elements and investigate whether junction of G-quadruplex with duplex, hairpin, triplex or second G-quadruplex motif is favorable for aptamers stability and biological activity. Furthermore, we indicate the specific and pivotal role of G-quadruplex domain and the additional structural elements in the interactions with target molecules. Finally, we consider the potency of G-quadruplex junctions in the future applications and indicate the emerging research area that is still waiting for development to obtain highly specific and effective nucleic acid-based molecular tools.
892
15 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Hydrogels and Graphene Quantum Dots
The graphene quantum dot (GQD), unlike the other graphene derivatives, is known to have distinctive optical properties showing size and edge-dependent fluorescence properties
534
15 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Nanomaterials for Viral Diseases Diagnosis, Prevention, and Treatment
Nanomaterials can be tailored for specific uses by modulating physical and chemical properties, including size, morphology, surface charge, and solubility. Due to these controllable properties, nanomaterials have been used in biosensors to potentiate target-specific reactions that respond to biochemical environments, such as temperature, pH, and the presence of enzymes.
1.0K
14 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Gadolinium-Based Oxide and Oxysulfide Particles
Gadolinium-Based Oxide and Oxysulfide Particles in the biomedical field
799
14 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Mussel-Inspired Catechol Functionalisationto Enhance Biomaterial Adhesion
Biomaterials have long been explored in regenerative medicine strategies for repair or replacement of damaged organs and tissues. However, poor adhesion under wet conditions (like those found in tissues) has thus far limited their wider application. Indeed, despite its favourable physicochemical properties, facile gelation and biocompatibility, gellan gum (GG)-based hydrogels lack the tissue adhesiveness required for effective clinical use. Aiming at assessing whether substitution of GG by dopamine (DA) could be a suitable approach to overcome this problem, database searches were conducted on PubMed® and Embase® up to 02 March 2021, for studies using biomaterials covalently modified with a catechol-containing substituent conferring improved adhesion properties. In this regard, a total of 47 reports (out of 700 manuscripts, ~ 6.7%) were found to comply with the search/selection criteria, the majority of which (34/47, ~ 72%) describing modification of natural polymers, such as chitosan (11/47, ~ 23%) and hyaluronic acid (6/47, ~ 13%); conjugation of dopamine (as catechol “donor”) via carbodiimide coupling chemistry was also predominant. Overall, there is ample literature evidence that bio-inspired substitution of polymers of natural and synthetic origin by DA or other catechol moieties greatly improves adhesion to biological tissues.
700
13 Oct 2021
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