Reply to Gonzalez and Everall: Lest we forget: neuropsychiatry and the new generation anti-HIV drugs

In this review, the unique properties of intrinsically conducting polymer (ICP) in biomedical engineering fields are summarized. Polythiophene and its valuable derivatives are known as potent materials that can broadly be applied in biosensors, DNA, and gene delivery applications. Moreover, this material plays a basic role in curing and promoting anti-HIV drugs. Some of the thiophene’s derivatives were chosen for different experiments and investigations to study their behavior and effects while binding with different materials and establishing new compounds. Many methods were considered for electrode coating and the conversion of thiophene to different monomers to improve their functions and to use them for a new generation of novel medical usages. It is believed that polythiophenes and their derivatives can be used in the future as a substitute for many old-fashioned ways of creating chemical biosensors polymeric materials and also drugs with lower side effects yet having a more effective response. It can be noted that syncing biochemistry with biomedical engineering will lead to a new generation of science, especially one that involves high-efficiency polymers. Therefore, since polythiophene can be customized with many derivatives, some of the novel combinations are covered in this review.

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Comparative Molecular Transporter Properties of Cyclic Peptides Containing Tryptophan and Arginine Residues Formed through Disulfide Cyclization

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules25112581 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (11) ◽

pp. 2581

Author(s):

Eman H. M. Mohammed ◽

Dindyal Mandal ◽

Saghar Mozaffari ◽

Magdy Abdel-Hamied Zahran ◽

Amany Mostafa Osman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cyclic Peptides ◽

Solid Phase ◽

Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis ◽

Cell Penetrating Peptides ◽

Molecular Transporters ◽

Arginine Residues ◽

Significant Uptake ◽

Hiv Drugs ◽

New Generation ◽

Anti Hiv

We have previously reported cyclic cell-penetrating peptides [WR]5 and [WR]4 as molecular transporters. To optimize further the utility of our developed peptides for targeted therapy in cancer cells using the redox condition, we designed a new generation of peptides and evaluated their cytotoxicity as well as uptake behavior against different cancer cell lines. Thus, cyclic [C(WR)xC] and linear counterparts (C(WR)xC), where x = 4–5, were synthesized using Fmoc/tBu solid-phase peptide synthesis, purified, and characterized. The compounds did not show any significant cytotoxicity (at 25 µM) against ovarian (SK-OV-3), leukemia (CCRF-CEM), gastric adenocarcinoma (CRL-1739), breast carcinoma (MDA-MB-231), and normal kidney (LLCPK) cells after 24 and 72 h incubation. Both cyclic [C(WR)5C] and linear (C(WR)5C) demonstrated comparable molecular transporter properties versus [WR]5 in the delivery of a phosphopeptide (F′-GpYEEI) in CCRF-CEM cells. The uptake of F′-GpYEEI in the presence of 1,4-dithiothreitol (DTT) as the reducing agent was significantly improved in case of l(C(WR)5C), while it was not changed by [C(WR)5C]. Fluorescence microscopy also demonstrated a significant uptake of F′-GpYEEI in the presence of l(C(WR)5C). Cyclic [C(WR)5C] improved the uptake of the fluorescent-labeled anti-HIV drugs F′-d4T, F′-3TC, and F′-FTC by 3.0–4.9-fold. These data indicate that both [C(WR)5C] and linear (C(WR)5C) peptides can act as molecular transporters.

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Tea Polyphenols as Natural Products for Potential Future Management of HIV Infection - an overview

Journal of Natural Remedies ◽

10.18311/jnr/2016/4782 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. 60 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Hamid Reza Sodagari ◽

Roodabeh Bahramsoltani ◽

Mohammad Hosein Farzaei ◽

Amir Hossein Abdolghaffari ◽

Nima Rezaei ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hiv Infection ◽

Tea Polyphenols ◽

Multi Drug Resistance ◽

Rapid Progression ◽

Therapeutic Molecules ◽

Hiv Drugs ◽

Immunodeficiency Syndrome ◽

Anti Fungal ◽

New Generation ◽

Anti Hiv

Belonging to the <em>Lentivirus</em> genus of animal retroviruses, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the etiological agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) which attacks cells of the immune system including CD4<sup>+</sup> T lymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells. A rapid progression to immunodeficiency and the higher transmissibility of HIV-1 compared to HIV-2 are hallmarks of the worldwide spread of AIDS. Conventional HIV treatments are limited by drug toxicity and by multi-drug resistance, caused by the high genetic variability of HIV. This has led researchers into new areas of drug discovery in search of novel therapeutic molecules. Accumulating evidence indicates that tea polyphenols possess a range of beneficial properties including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, neuro-protective, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral effects. The anti-HIV infection potential of tea polyphenols has been confirmed by several preclinical studies. This suggests that polyphenol-rich extracts of tea could be used as dietary supplements as part of a combined therapeutic regimen with conventional anti-HIV drugs. Phenolic structures may also be considered as backbones for the discovery of a new generation of anti-HIV remedies. This review provides a perspective on the anti-HIV activity of tea polyphenols and their development as a possible source of future drugs for the therapy of HIV/AIDS.

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