RSC Advances

Fan, Jing; Li, Tie-Jing; Zhao, Xin-Huai

doi: 10.1039/d0ra04162apmid: 35516969

Polyphenols are beneficial to human health because of their bio-activities. In this study, two flavonols quercetin and myricetin with or without heat treatment at 100 °C for 30 min were assessed for their barrier-promoting efficiency in rat intestinal epithelial (IEC-6) cells. The results indicated that the heated and unheated flavonols at dose levels of 2.5–20 μmol L−1 had a nontoxic effect on the cells treated for 24 and 48 h but enhanced the values of cell viability larger than 100% (especially at a dose level of 5 μmol L−1). Moreover, the cells exposed to these flavonols of 5 μmol L−1 for 24 and 48 h had improved barrier integrity compared to the control cells without any flavonol treatment, reflected by enhanced transepithelial electrical resistance and anti-bacterial effect but decreased paracellular permeability and bacterial translocation. Moreover, the results from both mRNA and protein expression verified 1.1–3.4 fold up-regulation of zonula occludens-1, occludin, and claudin-1 that are critical to tight junctions and barrier function of cells. Furthermore, the expression of other two proteins RhoA and ROCK in the treated cells was also down-regulated, demonstrating suppressed Rho activation and consequently barrier promotion via the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway. Overall quercetin, due to its lower molecular polarity, mostly gave higher barrier-promoting efficiency than myricetin, while the heated flavonols were always less efficient than the unheated counterparts to promote barrier integrity of IEC-6 cells. It is thus highlighted that flavonols can provide barrier-promoting effects on intestinal epithelial cells with a promoting efficiency dependent on flavonol polarity; however, heat treatment especially excessive heat treatment of plant foods might lead to damaged flavonol activity.

Yu, Shuping; Jiang, Jikang; Li, Wenxiang

doi: 10.1039/d0ra03258apmid: 35516923

In the present study, the structural characteristics and antioxidant activities of polysaccharide from the co-cultured Lepista sordida and Pholiota nameko and its polysaccharide-iron(iii) chelates were determined. Two polysaccharide fractions named CP-1 and CP-3 were isolated previously from polysaccharide of the fermentation liquid of the co-cultured Lepista sordida and Pholiota nameko. And their chemical structures were measured by FT-IR infrared spectroscopy, TG analysis, X-ray diffraction and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The results suggested that polysaccharides were chelated with iron(iii) by –OH and –COOH groups, forming a stable structure of β-FeOOH and improving crystallinity. Furthermore, the antioxidant activities of polysaccharide-iron(iii) chelates exhibited stronger hydroxyl radical and superoxide radical scavenging activity than the polysaccharides. Therefore, the polysaccharide-iron(iii) chelates could be used as a potential iron supplement.

Sun, Erlin; Wang, Lining; Zhou, Xiaodong; Ma, Chengquan; Sun, Yan; Lei, Mingde; Lu, Bingxin; Han, Ruifa

doi: 10.1039/d0ra90077jpmid: 35532430

Retraction of ‘Graphene oxide/DNA-decorated electrode for the fabrication of microRNA biosensor’ by Erlin Sun et al., RSC Adv., 2015, 5, 69334–69338, DOI: 10.1039/C5RA12373A.

Rong, Rong; Zhang, Qi-li; Zhang, Rui-zhen; Dan, Yu-han; Wang, Xin; Zhao, Yun-li; Yu, Zhi-guo

doi: 10.1039/d0ra03500apmid: 35516918

R-/S-2-(2-Hydroxypropanamido)-5-trifluoromethyl benzoic acid (R-/S-HFBA), as a novel COX inhibitor, was firstly reported to have remarkable anti-inflammatory and antiplatelet aggregation activities by our group. In our previous study, stereoselective differences in pharmacokinetics were found between HFBA enantiomers after oral and intravenous administration of each enantiomer to rats. The discrepancies might be associated with the excretion and metabolism of the two enantiomers. In this research, an UHPLC-MS/MS method was established and validated for quantification of R-/S-HFBA in rats urine, feces and bile samples in excretion study. Moreover, an ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (UHPLC-FT-ICR-MS) method was employed to understand the metabolism of R-/S-HFBA in rats. Results showed that the total cumulative excretion of R-/S-HFBA in three routes were 65.8% and 58.5% of the dose, respectively. The urinary excretion of R-/S-HFBA was the main route, which accounted for 40.2% and 31.7% respectively; the cumulative biliary excretion of R-/S-HFBA were 11.3% and 7.4%; the cumulative amounts of R-/S-HFBA excreted directly via feces without absorption from the gastrointestinal tract were 14.3% and 19.4%, respectively. R-/S-HFBA existed stereoselective discrepancy in excretion. In addition, 8 metabolites of S-HFBA were detected and tentatively identified including glucuronidation, glycine and N-acetyl conjugation while R-HFBA existed 7 metabolites without glycine conjugation. Formation of metabolites of R-/S-HFBA also exhibited stereoselectivity. In summary, these new findings on excretion and metabolism of R-/S-HFBA provided valuable information for stereoselective pharmacokinetics and were greatly helpful for further investigation, such as safety and mechanism of action.

Jin, Yamei; Yang, Na; Xu, Dan; He, Chenghao; Xu, Yue; Xu, Xueming; Jin, Zhengyu

doi: 10.1039/d0ra03873cpmid: 35516941

The proposed induction heating method was applied in the pasteurization of grapefruit juice. In this processing, an alternating magnetic field acted as the stimulus instead of conventional electrodes to create an induced electric field (IEF) for heat treatment of the continuous-flow juice sample, which excluded the possibility of electrochemical reaction and electrode corrosion that might occur in conventional electric field treatments. As a typical food pathogen, Escherichia coli O157:H7 was selected as a representative to investigate its inactivation by the heating process under different voltages and frequencies, initial temperatures, and flow rates (or retention time). The grapefruit juice was successfully heated up by IEF and the temperature curve was achieved when the juice exposed to IEF. The heating rate and terminal temperature increased with the increasing induced voltage, decreasing frequency and at higher initial temperature. A highest terminal temperature of 93.7 °C for grapefruit juice with an initial temperature of 20 °C was achieved under induced voltage of 2700 V, frequency of 300 Hz and residence time of 400 s. At the same time, E. coli O157:H7 in the grapefruit juice was thoroughly inactivated. There was a trend that the pathogen survival rate was reduced at higher induced voltage, lower frequency and higher initial temperature during the heating treatment. No significant changes in pH and °Brix was observed after this innovative induction heating, but the color of grapefruit juice was brightened. The proposed induction heating can be regarded as a sister technology of ohmic heating, and it provide a reference for the application of this heating method in liquid food pasteurization.

Singh, Sima; Numan, Arshid; Zhan, Yiqiang; Singh, Vijender; Alam, Aftab; Van Hung, Tran; Nam, Nguyen Dang

doi: 10.1039/d0ra03181jpmid: 35516948

The vascular endothelial growth factor 165 (VEGF165) is a quintessential biomarker in cancers. An easy and precise tool for the early detection of malignancies is required for rapid care and metastasis prevention. Cobalt-based metal–organic framework (Co-BTC-GO-MOF) nanoparticles have been used as a signal carrier for the anti-VEGF165 signaling antibody. Cobalt-based MOF was synthesized using cobalt (Co), benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate (BTC), and graphene oxide (GO) applying a hydrothermal method. Structure, compositions, size and morphology of the qualified sensor are determined by using distinctive analytical techniques. The Co-MOF nanoparticles are found to be thermostable, as revealed by thermal stability assay. The strategy utilises an impedimetric and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) techniques in the presence of the [Fe(CN)6]3−/4− redox system. Compared to earlier results, this assay resulted in higher sensitivity with the limit of detection (LOD) found to be 5.23 pM in a 0.01 M buffer solution of pH 7.4 using linear scale voltammetry at room temperature. The resulting Co-BTC-GO-MOF immunosensor shows high responsiveness and selectivity in detecting VEGF165 in real-time serum samples of cancer patients. The electrochemical performance studies confirm that the intended proposed immunosensor could pave the way for the future advancement of high-performance, sensitive, reproducible and robust immunosensors for the cost-effective and initial phase detection of cancer in the future.

Saberi, Shima; Zhiani, Rahele; Mehrzad, Jamshid; Motavalizadehkakhky, Alireza

doi: 10.1039/d0ra03989fpmid: 35516956

Water is an essential substance for life on earth and for all living things. Plants and animals need almost pure water to live; if it is contaminated with harmful chemicals and micro organisms, it will be impossible for them to survive. This study has tried to investigate the performance of catalyst to reduce nitro-aromatic combinations in the attendance of NaBH4 solution duo to the hydrogen source. TEMPO@FeNi3/DFNS–laccase MNPs was prepared, and its features were reviewed using SEM, TEM, XRD, TGA, VSM, AFM, and FTIR. Then, its strength as a nanocatalyst for removal of nitro-aromatic combinations was tested in contact time, initial concentration, the effects of pH and nanocatalyst amount was study. The results of this research proved that TEMPO@FeNi3/DFNS–laccase MNPs has a good return in removal of nitro-aromatic combinations, as its easy synthesis and reliable recovery.

Salinas, Yolanda; Kneidinger, Michael; Fornaguera, Cristina; Borrós, Salvador; Brüggemann, Oliver; Teasdale, Ian

doi: 10.1039/d0ra03210gpmid: 35516962

A switchable silane derived stimuli-responsive bottle-brush polyphosphazene (PPz) was prepared and attached to the surface of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs). The hybrid polymer with PEG-like Jeffamine® M-2005 side-arms undergo conformational changes in response to both pH and temperature due to its amphiphilic substituents and protonatable main-chain, hence were investigated as a gatekeeper. Safranin O as control fluorophore or the anticancer drug camptothecin (CPT) were encapsulated in the PPz-coated MSNs. At temperatures below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST), the swollen conformation of PPz efficiently blocked the cargo within the pores. However, above the LCST, the PPz collapsed, allowing release of the payload. Additionally, protonation of the polymer backbone at lower pH values was observed to enhance opening of the pores from the surface of the MSNs and therefore the release of the dye. In vitro studies demonstrated the ability of these nanoparticles loaded with the drug camptothecin to be endocytosed in both models of tumor (A549) and healthy epithelial (BEAS-2B) lung cells. Their accumulation and the release of the chemotherapeutic drug, co-localized within lysosomes, was faster and higher for tumor than for healthy cells, further, the biocompatibility of PPz-gated nanosystem without drug was demonstrated. Tailored dual responsive polyphosphazenes thus represent novel and promising candidates in the construction of future gated mesoporous silica nanocarriers designs for lung cancer-directed treatment.

Yang, Feipeng; Liu, Yi-Sheng; Feng, Xuefei; Qian, Kun; Kao, Li Cheng; Ha, Yang; Hahn, Nathan T.; Seguin, Trevor J.; Tsige, Mesfin; Yang, Wanli; Zavadil, Kevin R.; Persson, Kristin A.; Guo, Jinghua

doi: 10.1039/d0ra05905fpmid: 35516916

The solvation shell structures of Ca2+ in aqueous and organic solutions probed by calcium L-edge soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and DFT/MD simulations show the coordination number of Ca2+ to be negatively correlated with the electrolyte concentration and the steric hindrance of the solvent molecule. In this work, the calcium L-edge soft XAS demonstrates its sensitivity to the surrounding chemical environment. Additionally, the total electron yield (TEY) mode is surface sensitive because the electron penetration depth is limited to a few nanometers. Thus this study shows its implications for future battery studies, especially for probing the electrolyte/electrode interface for electrochemical reactions under in situ/operando conditions.

Ahmad, Niyaz; Ahmad, Rizwan; Al-Qudaihi, Ali; Alaseel, Salman Edrees; Fita, Ibrahim Zuhair; Khalid, Mohammed Saifuddin; Pottoo, Faheem Hyder

doi: 10.1039/d0ra90079fpmid: 35532505

Correction for ‘Preparation of a novel curcumin nanoemulsion by ultrasonication and its comparative effects in wound healing and the treatment of inflammation’ by Niyaz Ahmad et al., RSC Adv., 2019, 9, 20192–20206, DOI: 10.1039/C9RA03102B.