Dendrimers, which are considered as one of the most promising tools in the field of nanobiotechnology due to their structural organization, showed a great potential in gene therapy, drug delivery, medical imaging and as antimicrobial and antiviral agents. This article is devoted to study interactions between new carbosilane-based metallodendrimers containing ruthenium and anti-cancer small interfering RNA (siRNA). Formation of complexes between anti-cancer siRNAs and Ru-based carbosilane dendrimers was evaluated by transmission electron microscopy, circular dichroism and fluorescence. The zeta-potential and the size of dendriplexes were determined by dynamic light scattering. The internalization of dendriplexes were estimated using HL-60 cells. Results show that ruthenium dendrimers associated with anticancer siRNA have the ability to deliver siRNA as non-viral vectors into the cancer cells. Moreover, dendrimers can protect siRNA against nuclease degradation. Nevertheless, further research need to be performed to examine the therapeutic potential of ruthenium dendrimers as well as dendrimers complexed with siRNA and anticancer drugs towards cancer cells.
Hybrid carbosilane–viologen–phosphorus dendrimers were prepared, as an example of the synthetic “onion peel” approach, on the search of new physical–chemical and biological properties, respecting traditional dendritic architectures.
In the present work, hydroxyapatite-polymer materials were developed. The preparation, as well as characterization of the ceramic-polymer composites based on polyvinylpyrrolidone, sodium alginate, and gelatin were described. The system was enriched with the addition of common sage extract (Salvia officinalis). The antioxidant potential of sage aqueous extract and total polyphenol content was determined. The antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content of extract were equal to 86.06 ± 0,49% and 16.21 ± 0,58 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram of dry weight, respectively. Incubation studies in selected biological liquids were carried out to determine the biomineralization capacity on the surface of the composites and to examine the kinetics of release of the active substances from within the material. As a result of the incubation, a gradual release of the extract over time from the polymer matrix was observed; moreover, the appearance of new apatite layers on the composite surface was recorded as early as after 14 days, which was also confirmed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) microanalysis. The composites were analyzed with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy, and the morphology was recorded by scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging. The in vitro biological studies allowed their cytotoxic effect on the reference L929 fibroblasts to be excluded. Further analysis of the biomaterials showed that enrichment with polyphenols does not support the adhesion of L929 cells to the surface of the material. However, the addition of these natural components stimulates human monocytes that constitute the first step of tissue regeneration.
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