Agnieszka Kyzioł

Development of Noncytotoxic Chitosan–Gold Nanocomposites as Efficient Antibacterial Materials

This work describes the synthesis and characterization of noncytotoxic nanocomposites either colloidal or as films exhibiting high antibacterial activity. The biocompatible and biodegradable polymer chitosan was used as reducing and stabilizing agent for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles embedded in it. Herein, for the first time, three different chitosan grades varying in the average molecular weight and deacetylation degree (DD) were used with an optimized gold precursor concentration. Several factors were analyzed in order to obtain antimicrobial but not cytotoxic nanocomposite materials. Films based on chitosan with medium molecular weight and the highest DD exhibited the highest antibacterial activity against biofilm forming strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The resulting nanocomposites did not show any cytotoxicity against mammalian somatic and tumoral cells. They produced a disruptive effect on the bacteria wall while their internalization was hindered on the eukaryotic cells. This selectivity and safety make them potentially applicable as antimicrobial coatings in the biomedical field.

Copper(I) (pseudo)halide complexes with neocuproine and aminomethylphosphines derived from morpholine and thiomorpholine - in vitro cytotoxic and antimicrobial activity and the interactions with DNA and serum albumins.

Herein, a series of CuI or CuNCS complexes with neocuproine (2,9‐dimethyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline: dmp) and two tris(aminomethyl)phosphines derived from morpholine (P(CH2N(CH2CH2)2O)3) or thiomorpholine (P(CH2N(CH2CH2)2S)3) were tested as cytotoxic agents in vitro towards mouse colon carcinoma (CT26) and human lung adenocarcinoma (A549). The studies showed that the complexes exhibit potential antitumor properties, displayed by IC50 values below 10 μm towards the tested cell lines, in the case of 4‐h incubation time with the examined compounds. Moreover, a high antimicrobial activity of all the complexes was observed against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans with minimal inhibitory concentrations equal to 1–2 μg/mL. To gain insight into the molecular mechanism of biological activity of the complexes, we investigated also their interactions with plasmid DNA (pUC18) and the human and bovine serum albumins. Gel electrophoresis experiments demonstrated that all the compounds were comparably efficient in DNA degradation process; however, luminescence quenching showed surprising dependence on the interactions strength of the used compounds with the albumins. Apart from exceptionally effective [CuI(dmp)P(CH2N(CH2CH2)2O)3], the complexes with P(CH2N(CH2CH2)2O)3 quenched more strongly luminescence of bovine serum albumin, while the complexes with P(CH2N(CH2CH2)2S)3 were more active in the quenching of human serum albumin luminescence.

Phosphine derivatives of ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin, a new class of potential therapeutic agents

In this paper a new series of chalcogenides of diphenylmethylaminophosphine derived from ciprofloxacin (PPh2CH2Cp) and a new phosphine derived from norfloxacin (PPh2CH2Nr) are presented. The synthesized compounds were characterized by NMR, MS and X-ray techniques. Both phosphines exhibit antibacterial activity against: S. aureus, E. coli, K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa, similar to ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin. They inhibit the growth of microorganisms in relatively low concentrations. Chalcogenides are slightly less active than phosphines and unmodified antibiotics. All the derivatives were also tested in vitro as anticancer agents towards mouse colon carcinoma (CT26) and human lung adenocarcinoma (A549). Cytotoxicity studies revealed that phosphines and their chalcogenides are able to inhibit the proliferation of the cells at relatively low concentrations. Moreover, all the tested compounds are more active against tested cell lines than cisplatin – the main representative of antitumor drugs.

Bactericidal Effect of Gold–Chitosan Nanocomposites in Coculture Models of Pathogenic Bacteria and Human Macrophages

The ability of pathogenic bacteria to develop resistance mechanisms to avoid the antimicrobial potential of antibiotics has become an increasing problem for the healthcare system. The search for more effective and selective antimicrobial materials, though not harmful to mammalian cells, seems imperative. Herein we propose the use of gold-chitosan nanocomposites as effective bactericidal materials avoiding damage to human cells. Nanocomposites were obtained by taking advantage of the reductive and stabilizing action of chitosan solutions on two different gold precursor concentrations. The resulting nanocomposites were added at different final concentrations to a coculture model formed by Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) or Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria and human macrophages. Gold-chitosan colloids exhibited superior bactericidal ability against both bacterial models without showing cytotoxicity on human cells at the concentrations tested. Morphological and in vitro viability studies supported the feasibility of the infection model here described to test novel bactericidal nanomaterials. Flow cytometry and scanning electron microscopy analyses pointed to the disruption of the bacterial wall as the lethal mechanism. Data obtained in the present study suggest that gold-chitosan nanocomposites are powerful and promising nanomaterials for reducing bacteria-associated infections, respecting the integrity of mammalian cells, and displaying high selectivity against the studied bacteria.

Study on inhibitory activity of chitosan-based materials against biofilm producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains.

Six antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, isolated from chronic diabetic foot infections, were chosen for studying the influence of different chitosan-based materials: chitosan solution and chitosan submicroparticles in both planktonic and 24 h-old biofilm-forming models. Chitosan solution occurred to be more effective in the reduction of bacterial populations than chitosan submicroparticles for both planktonic and biofilm-related Pseudomonas cells. It seems that the antimicrobial activity of the tested chitosan preparations depends on the individual bacterial strain susceptibility probably related to differences in the phenotypes and natural antioxidant abilities of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains.

Interaction of methotrexate, an anticancer agent, with copper(II) ions: coordination pattern, DNA-cleaving properties and cytotoxic studies

The acid–base properties and the Cu(II) binding processes of methotrexate (MTX) were characterized by selected spectroscopic techniques and potentiometric measurements. The pH titration data showed that MTX behaves as a triprotic ligand. The deprotonation constants were determined for α-COOH and γ-COOH groups and (N1)H+ from the pteridine ring. Taking all the obtained results into consideration, a coordination pattern was proposed. The DNA-cleaving activity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation were investigated for both MTX and the Cu(II)–MTX system. The complex displayed a promising nuclease activity toward plasmid DNA in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Interestingly, the induction of ROS, such as hydroxyl radicals, superoxide anions or singlet oxygen, was excluded and a different mechanism of DNA degradation was proposed. As MTX is now commonly used in anticancer therapy i.e. against lung cancer, basic cell-based studies were carried out to establish if its Cu(II) complex exhibits higher cytotoxic properties than the ligand alone. Activities of both compounds were also tested against colon carcinoma. Moreover, the determined values of IC50 were confronted with the cytotoxic activity of cisplatin.

Chitosan-based nanocomposites for the repair of bone defects

Chitosan scaffolds of different deacetylation degrees, average molecular weights and concentrations reinforced with silica nanoparticles were prepared for bone tissue regeneration. The resulting nanocomposites showed similar pore sizes (<300 μm) regardless the deacetylation degree and concentration used in their formulation. Their mechanical compression resistance was increased by a 30% with the addition of silica nanoparticles as nanofillers. The biocompatibility of the three-dimensional chitosan scaffolds was confirmed by the Alamar Blue assay in human primary osteoblasts as well as the formation of cell spheroids indicative of their great potential for bone regeneration. In vivo implantation of the scaffolds in a mice calvaria defect model provided substantial evidences of the suitability of these nanocomposites for bone tissue engineering showing a mature and dense collagenous tissue with small foci of mineralization, vascularized areas and the infiltration of osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Nevertheless, mature bone tissue formation was not observed after eight weeks of implantation.

Ruthenium(II) piano stool coordination compounds with aminomethylphosphanes: Synthesis, characterisation and preliminary biological study in vitro

Reaction of {[Ru(η6-p-cymene)Cl]2(μ-Cl)2} (1) with aminomethylphosphane derived from morpholine (P{CH2N(CH2CH2)2O}3 (A), PPh2{CH2N(CH2CH2)2O} (B)) or piperazine (P{CH2N(CH2CH2)2NCH2CH3}3 (C), PPh2{CH2N(CH2CH2)2NCH2CH3} (D)) results in four new piano stool ruthenium(II) coordination compounds: [Ru(η6-p-cymene)Cl2(A)] (2A), [Ru(η6-p-cymene)Cl2(B)] (2B), [Ru(η6-p-cymene)Cl2(C)] (2C) and [Ru(η6-p-cymene)Cl2(D)] (2D). Every complex was fully characterized using spectroscopic methods (1H, 13C{1H}, 31P{1H} NMR and ESI-MS), elemental analysis, X-ray single crystal diffraction and DFT calculations. Preliminary studies of in vitro cytotoxicity on the A549 (human lung adenocarcinoma) and MCF7 (human breast adenocarcinoma) cell lines revealed 2A-2D activity in the same order of magnitude as in the case of cisplatin. Additionally, the study confirmed the ability of 2A-2D to interact with DNA helix and transferrin.

Unexpected formation of [Ru(η5-C5H5)(PH{CH2N(CH2CH2)2O}2)(PPh3)2]BF4 – the first “piano-stool” ruthenium complex bearing a secondary aminomethylphosphane ligand

In this paper we report the reaction of [Ru(η5-C5H5)Cl(PPh3)2] with P{CH2N(CH2CH2)2O}3 in the presence of NaBF4, in which, apart from the Cl− substitution, an unexpected P–C bond cleavage in the tertiary phosphane is observed. It results in the formation of [Ru(η5-C5H5)(PH{CH2N(CH2CH2)2O}2)(PPh3)2]BF4 (1) – the first “piano-stool” ruthenium complex with a secondary aminomethylphosphane ligand.

Cu I and Cu II complexes with phosphine derivatives of fluoroquinolone antibiotics – A comparative study on the cytotoxic mode of action

In this paper, we present a comparative study on the cytotoxic mode of action of copper(I) and copper(II) complexes with phosphine derivatives of fluoroquinolone antibiotics (ciprofloxacin HCp and norfloxacin HNr). The in vitro cytotoxic activity of four new compounds was tested against two selected cancer cell lines. All complexes exhibited much better cytotoxicity against both cell lines than unmodified fluoroquinolone antibiotics, their phosphines (PCp, PNr), chalcogenide derivatives (oxides: OPCp, OPNr; sulfides: SPCp, SPNr and selenides: SePCp, SePNr) and previously described by us complexes with phosphines derived from different fluoroquinolones: lomefloxacin (HLm) and sparfloxacin (HSf) as well as cisplatin. Apoptosis, observed at a great predominance, was induced by all studied complexes. Importantly, it was concluded that coordination compounds with Cu(I) ion ([CuI-PNr] and [CuI-PCp]) were much more active than those with Cu(II) ion ([OPNr-CuII], [OPCp-CuII]), even though the highest efficacy to produce reactive oxygen species, participating in overall cytotoxicity, was proved for copper(II) complexes among all studied compounds. Herein, we discuss not only results obtained for copper(I)/(II) complexes with phosphines derived from HNr and HCp but we also compare them to previously described data for complexes with HLm and HSf derivatives. This is the first insight into a structure-activity relationship of copper complexes with phosphine derivatives of fluoroquinolone antibiotics.