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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2024 | Viewed by 5379

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Dr. Agnieszka Ewa Wia̧cek

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Guest Editor

Department of Interfacial Phenomena, Faculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
Interests: physico-chemical properties of dispersed systems and their stability; the structure and wettability of the polymer (biopolymer layers); interfacial phenomena, the electrokinetic properties of solid-liquid interface
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences is dedicated to recent advances in the research of colloids and colloid-based systems, focused on highlighting recent, interesting investigations and new perspectives conducted in leading laboratories around the world. Our journal is an attractive, open access publishing platform that publishes research on molecular chemistry research data. The field of colloid systems is still a developing scientific area, but a very promising one for many practical applications, especially those that are biological-related. This Special Issue will focus on all aspects of production, modification, investigation and the application of colloids and colloid-based systems, as well as the use of highly specialized methods in order to develop science and, above all, to improve health and quality of life.

Dr. Agnieszka Ewa Wia̧cek
Guest Editor

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Keywords

colloids
emulsions
dispersions, stability
size distribution
zeta potential
optical/rheological properties
medicine
pharmaceuticals
cosmetics

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 8162 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Starch-Based Polysaccharide Systems with Bioactive Substances: Physicochemical and Wettability Characteristics

by Agnieszka Ewa Wiącek and Anna Furmaniuk

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(9), 4590; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25094590 - 23 Apr 2024

Viewed by 332

Abstract

Polysaccharide-based systems have very good emulsifying and stabilizing properties, and starch plays a leading role. Their modifications should add new quality features to the product to such an extent that preserves the structure-forming properties of native starch. The aim of this manuscript was to examine the physicochemical characteristics of the combinations of starch with phospholipids or lysozymes and determine the effect of starch modification (surface hydrophobization or biological additives) and preparation temperature (before and after gelatinization). Changes in electrokinetic potential (zeta), effective diameter, and size distribution as a function of time were analyzed using the dynamic light scattering and microelectrophoresis techniques. The wettability of starch-coated glass plates before and after modification was checked by the advancing and receding contact angle measurements, as well as the angle hysteresis, using the settle drop method as a complement to profilometry and FTIR. It can be generalized that starch dispersions are more stable than analogous n-alkane/starch emulsions at room and physiological temperatures. On the other hand, the contact angle hysteresis values usually decrease with temperature increase, pointing to a more homogeneous surface, and the hydrophobization effect decreases vs. the thickness of the substrate. Surface hydrophobization of starch carried out using an n-alkane film does not change its bulk properties and leads to improvement of its mechanical and functional properties. The obtained specific starch-based hybrid systems, characterized in detail by switchable wettability, give the possibility to determine the energetic state of the starch surface and understand the strength and specificity of interactions with substances of different polarities in biological processes and their applicability for multidirectional use. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives of Colloids for Biological Applications)

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14 pages, 975 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Physicochemical Characteristics of Porous Starch Obtained by Combined Physical and Enzymatic Methods, Part 1: Structure, Adsorption, and Functional Properties

by Monika Sujka and Agnieszka Ewa Wiącek

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(3), 1662; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25031662 - 29 Jan 2024

Viewed by 681

Abstract

Porous starch can be applied as an adsorbent and encapsulant for bioactive substances in the food and pharmaceutical industries. By using appropriate modification methods (chemical, physical, enzymatic, or mixed), it is possible to create pores on the surface of the starch granules without disturbing their integrity. This paper aimed to analyze the possibility of obtaining a porous structure for native corn, potato, and pea starches using a combination of ultrasound, enzymatic digestion, and freeze-drying methods. The starch suspensions (30%, w/w) were treated with ultrasound (20 kHz, 30 min, 20 °C), then dried and hydrolyzed with amyloglucosidase (1000 U/g starch, 50 °C, 24 h, 2% starch suspension). After enzyme digestion, the granules were freeze-dried for 72 h. The structure of the native and modified starches were examined using VIS spectroscopy, SEM, ATR-FTIR, and LTNA (low-temperature nitrogen adsorption). Based on the electrophoretic mobility measurements of the starch granules using a laser Doppler velocimeter, zeta potentials were calculated to determine the surface charge level. Additionally, the selected properties such as the water and oil holding capacities, least gelling concentration (LGC), and paste clarity were determined. The results showed that the corn starch was the most susceptible to the combined modification methods and was therefore best suited for the production of porous starch. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives of Colloids for Biological Applications)

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21 pages, 10332 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comparative and Critical Analysis for In Vitro Cytotoxic Evaluation of Magneto-Crystalline Zinc Ferrite Nanoparticles Using MTT, Crystal Violet, LDH, and Apoptosis Assay

by Juan Luis de la Fuente-Jiménez, César Iván Rodríguez-Rivas, Irma Beatriz Mitre-Aguilar, Andrea Torres-Copado, Eric Alejandro García-López, José Herrera-Celis, María Goretti Arvizu-Espinosa, Marco Antonio Garza-Navarro, Luis Gerardo Arriaga, Janet Ledesma García, Domingo Ixcóatl García-Gutiérrez, Alejandro Zentella Dehesa, Ashutosh Sharma and Goldie Oza

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(16), 12860; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241612860 - 16 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1587

Abstract

Zinc ferrite nanoparticles (ZFO NPs) are a promising magneto-crystalline platform for nanomedicine-based cancer theranostics. ZFO NPs synthesized using co-precipitation method are characterized using different techniques. UV-visible spectroscopy exhibits absorption peaks specific for ZFO. Raman spectroscopy identifies Raman active, infrared active, and silent vibrational modes while Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopic (FTIR) spectra display IR active modes that confirm the presence of ZFO. X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD) exhibits the crystalline planes of single-phase ZFO with a face-centered cubic structure that coincides with the selected area electron diffraction pattern (SAED). The average particle size according to high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) is 5.6 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) signals confirm the chemical states of Fe, Zn, and O. A superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) displays the magnetic response of ZFO NPs, showing a magnetic moment of 45.5 emu/gm at 70 kOe. These ZFO NPs were then employed for comparative cytotoxicity evaluation using MTT, crystal violet, and LDH assays on breast adenocarcinoma epithelial cell (MCF-7), triple-negative breast cancer lines (MDA-MB 231), and human embryonic kidney cell lines (HEK-293). Flow cytometric analysis of all the three cell lines were performed in various concentrations of ZFO NPs for automated cell counting and sorting based on live cells, cells entering in early or late apoptotic phase, as well as in the necrotic phase. This analysis confirmed that ZFO NPs are more cytotoxic towards triple-negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) as compared to breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7) and normal cell lines (HEK-293), thus corroborating that ZFO can be exploited for cancer therapeutics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives of Colloids for Biological Applications)

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22 pages, 8026 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Insight into the Mechanism of Interactions between the LL-37 Peptide and Model Membranes of Legionella gormanii Bacteria

by Katarzyna Pastuszak, Bozena Kowalczyk, Jacek Tarasiuk, Rafal Luchowski, Wieslaw I. Gruszecki, Małgorzata Jurak and Marta Palusinska-Szysz

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(15), 12039; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241512039 - 27 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 950

Abstract

Legionella gormanii is a fastidious, Gram-negative bacterium known to be the etiological agent of atypical community-acquired pneumonia. The human cathelicidin LL-37 exhibits a dose-dependent bactericidal effect on L. gormanii. The LL-37 peptide at the concentration of 10 µM causes the bacteria to become viable but not cultured. The antibacterial activity of the peptide is attributed to its effective binding to the bacterial membrane, as demonstrated by the fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy. In this study, to mimic the L. gormanii membranes and their response to the antimicrobial peptide, Langmuir monolayers were used with the addition of the LL-37 peptide to the subphase of the Langmuir trough to represent the extracellular fluid. The properties of the model membranes (Langmuir monolayers) formed by phospholipids (PL) isolated from the L. gormanii bacteria cultured on the non-supplemented (PL−choline) and choline-supplemented (PL+choline) medium were determined, along with the effect of the LL-37 peptide on the intermolecular interactions, packing, and ordering under the monolayer compression. Penetration tests at the constant surface pressure were carried out to investigate the mechanism of the LL-37 peptide action on the model membranes. The peptide binds to the anionic bacterial membranes preferentially, due to its positive charge. Upon binding, the LL-37 peptide can penetrate into the hydrophobic tails of phospholipids, destabilizing membrane integrity. The above process can entail membrane disruption and ultimately cell death. The ability to evoke such a great membrane destabilization is dependent on the share of electrostatic, hydrogen bonding and Lifshitz–van der Waals LL-37−PL interactions. Thus, the LL-37 peptide action depends on the changes in the lipid membrane composition caused by the utilization of exogenous choline by the L. gormanii. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives of Colloids for Biological Applications)

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21 pages, 3927 KiB

Open AccessArticle

QbD-Optimized, Phospholipid-Based Elastic Nanovesicles for the Effective Delivery of 6-Gingerol: A Promising Topical Option for Pain-Related Disorders

by Mohammed Ghazwani, Mohammed H. Alqarni, Umme Hani and Aftab Alam

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(12), 9983; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24129983 - 10 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1082

Abstract

In this study, elastic nanovesicles, constructed of phospholipids optimized by Quality by Design (QbD), release 6-gingerol (6-G), a natural chemical that may alleviate osteoporosis and musculoskeletal-related pain. A 6-gingerol-loaded transfersome (6-GTF) formulation was developed using a thin film and sonication approach. 6-GTFs were optimized using BBD. Vesicle size, PDI, zeta potential, TEM, in vitro drug release, and antioxidant activity were evaluated for the 6-GTF formulation. The optimized 6-GTF formulation had a 160.42 nm vesicle size, a 0.259 PDI, and a −32.12 mV zeta potential. TEM showed sphericity. The 6-GTF formulation’s in vitro drug release was 69.21%, compared to 47.71% for the pure drug suspension. The Higuchi model best described 6-G release from transfersomes, while the Korsmeyer–Peppas model supported non-Fickian diffusion. 6-GTF had more antioxidant activity than the pure 6-G suspension. The optimized transfersome formulation was converted into a gel to improve skin retention and efficacy. The optimized gel had a spreadability of 13.46 ± 4.42 g·cm/s and an extrudability of 15.19 ± 2.01 g/cm². The suspension gel had a 1.5 μg/cm²/h ex vivo skin penetration flux, while the 6-GTF gel had 2.71 μg/cm²/h. Rhodamine B-loaded TF gel reached deeper skin layers (25 μm) compared to the control solution in the CLSM study. The gel formulation’s pH, drug concentration, and texture were assessed. This study developed QbD-optimized 6-gingerol-loaded transfersomes. 6-GTF gel improved skin absorption, drug release, and antioxidant activity. These results show that the 6-GTF gel formulation has the ability to treat pain-related illnesses effectively. Hence, this study offers a possible topical treatment for conditions connected to pain. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives of Colloids for Biological Applications)

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