Publications in the Year: 2019

Journal Article

Pedrosa, P, Corvo ML, Ferreira-Silva M, Martins P, Carvalheiro MC, Costa PM, Martins C, Martins DRSLM, Baptista PV, Fernandes AR.  2019.  Targeting Cancer Resistance via Multifunctional Gold Nanoparticles. Int J Mol Sci. 20, Number 21 AbstractWebsite

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Oliveira, H, Roma-Rodrigues C, Santos A, Veigas B, Brás N, Faria A, Calhau C, de Freitas V, Baptista PV, Mateus N, Fernandes AR, Fernandes I.  2019.  GLUT1 and GLUT3 involvement in anthocyanin gastric transport- Nanobased targeted approach, 2019. Scientific Reports. 9(1):789. AbstractWebsite

Anthocyanins may protect against a myriad of human diseases. However few studies have been conducted to evaluate their bioavailability so their absorption mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the role of two glucose transporters (GLUT1 and GLUT3) in anthocyanins absorption in the human gastric epithelial cells (MKN-28) by using gold nanoparticles to silence these transporters. Anthocyanins were purified from purple fleshed sweet potatoes and grape skin. Silencing of GLUT1 and/or GLUT3 mRNA was performed by adding AuNP@GLUT1 and/or AuNP@GLUT3 to MKN-28 cells. Downregulation of mRNA expression occurred concomitantly with the reduction in protein expression. Malvidin-3-O-glucoside (Mv3glc) transport was reduced in the presence of either AuNP@GLUT1 and AuNP@GLUT3, and when both transporters were blocked simultaneously. Peonidin-3-(6′-hydroxybenzoyl)-sophoroside-5-glucoside (Pn3HBsoph5glc) and Peonidin-3-(6′-hydroxybenzoyl-6″-caffeoyl)-sophoroside-5-glucoside (Pn3HBCsoph5glc) were assayed to verify the effect of the sugar moiety esterification at glucose B in transporter binding. Both pigments were transported with a lower transport efficiency compared to Mv3glc, probably due to steric hindrance of the more complex structures. Interestingly, for Pn3HBCsoph5glc although the only free glucose is at C5 and the inhibitory effect of the nanoparticles was also observed, reinforcing the importance of glucose on the transport regardless of its position or substitution pattern. The results support the involvement of GLUT1 and GLUT3 in the gastric absorption of anthocyanins.
Marques, A, Veigas B, Araújo A, Pagará B, Baptista PV, Águas H, Martins R, Fortunato E.  2019.  Paper-Based SERS Platform for One-Step Screening of Tetracycline in Milk. Sci Rep. 9:17922., Number 1 AbstractWebsite

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Veigas, B, Matias A, Calmeiro T, Fortunato E, Fernandes AR, Baptista PV.  2019.  Antibody modified gold nanoparticles for fast colorimetric screening of rheumatoid arthritis. Analyst. 144:3613-3619., Number 11 AbstractWebsite

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Santos, MM, Raposo LR, Carrera GVSM, Costa A, Dionísio M, Baptista PV, Fernandes AR, Branco LC.  2019.  Ionic Liquids and Salts from Ibuprofen as Promising Innovative Formulations of an Old Drug. ChemMedChem. 14:907-911., Number 9 AbstractWebsite

Abstract Herein we report the synthesis of novel ionic liquids (ILs) and organic salts by combining ibuprofen as anion with ammonium, imidazolium, or pyridinium cations. The methodology consists of an acid–base reaction of neutral ibuprofen with cation hydroxides, which were previously prepared by anion exchange from the corresponding halide salts with Amberlyst A-26(OH). In comparison with the parent drug, these organic salts display higher solubility in water and biological fluids and a smaller degree of polymorphism, which in some cases was completely eliminated. With the exception of [C16Pyr][Ibu] and [N1,1,2,2OH1][Ibu], the prepared salts did not affect the viability of normal human dermal fibroblasts or ovarian carcinoma (A2780) cells. Therefore, these ibuprofen-based ionic liquids may be very promising lead candidates for the development of effective formulations of this drug.
Kourmentza, C, Araujo D, Sevrin C, Roma-Rodriques C, Lia Ferreira J, Freitas F, Dionisio M, Baptista PV, Fernandes AR, Grandfils C, Reis MAM.  2019.  Occurrence of non-toxic bioemulsifiers during polyhydroxyalkanoate production by Pseudomonas strains valorizing crude glycerol by-product. Bioresour Technol. 281:31-40. AbstractWebsite

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Sutradhar, M, Alegria ECBA, Ferretti F, Raposo LR, Guedes da Silva MFC, Baptista PV, Fernandes AR, Pombeiro AJL.  2019.  Antiproliferative activity of heterometallic sodium and potassium-dioxidovanadium(V) polymers. J Inorg Biochem. 200:110811. AbstractWebsite

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Das, K, Datta A, Massera C, Roma-Rodrigues C, Barroso M, Baptista PV, Fernandes AR.  2019.  Structural aspects of a trimetallic CuII derivative: cytotoxicity and anti-proliferative activity on human cancer cell lines. Journal of Coordination Chemistry. 72:920-940., Number 5-7: Taylor & Francis AbstractWebsite

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Jesus, AR, Soromenho MRC, Raposo LR, Esperanca JMSS, Baptista PV, Fernandes AR, Reis PM.  2019.  Enhancement of water solubility of poorly water-soluble drugs by new biocompatible N-acetyl amino acid N-alkyl cholinium-based ionic liquids.. European journal of pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics : official journal of Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Pharmazeutische Verfahrenstechnik e.V. Abstract

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Roma-Rodrigues, C, Mendes R, Baptista PV, Fernandes AR.  2019.  Targeting Tumor Microenvironment for Cancer Therapy. Int J Mol Sci. 20, Number 4 AbstractWebsite

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Roma-Rodrigues, C, Pombo I, Raposo L, Pedrosa P, Fernandes AR, Baptista PV.  2019.  Nanotheranostics Targeting the Tumor Microenvironment, 2019. Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.. 7:197. AbstractWebsite

Cancer is considered the most aggressive malignancy to humans, and definitely the major cause of death worldwide. Despite the different and heterogenous presentation of the disease, there are pivotal cell elements involved in proliferation, differentiation, and immortalization, and ultimately the capability to evade treatment strategies. This is of utmost relevance when we are just beginning to grasp the complexity of the tumor environment and the molecular “evolution” within. The tumor micro-environment (TME) is thought to provide for differentiation niches for clonal development that results in tremendous cancer heterogeneity. To date, conventional cancer therapeutic strategies against cancer are failing to tackle the intricate interplay of actors within the TME. Nanomedicine has been proposing innovative strategies to tackle this TME and the cancer cells that simultaneously provide for biodistribution and/or assessment of action. These nanotheranostics systems are usually multi-functional nanosystems capable to carry and deliver active cargo to the site of interest and provide diagnostics capability, enabling early detection, and destruction of cancer cells in a more selective way. Some of the most promising multifunctional nanosystems are based on gold nanoparticles, whose physic-chemical properties have prompt for the development of multifunctional, responsive nanomedicines suitable for combinatory therapy and theranostics. Herein, we shall focus on the recent developments relying on the properties of gold nanoparticles as the basis for nanotheranostics systems against the heterogeneity within the TME.
Almeida, J, Roma-Rodrigues C, Mahmoud AG, Guedes da Silva MFC, Pombeiro AJL, Martins DRSLM, Baptista PV, Fernandes AR.  2019.  Structural characterization and biological properties of silver(I) tris(pyrazolyl)methane sulfonate. J Inorg Biochem. 199:110789. AbstractWebsite

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Roma-Rodrigues, C, Fernandes AR, Baptista PV.  2019.  Counteracting the effect of leukemia exosomes by antiangiogenic gold nanoparticles. Int J Nanomedicine. 14:6843-6854. AbstractWebsite

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Pedrosa, P, Corvo LM, Ferreira-Silva M, Martins P, Carvalheiro MC, Costa PM, Martins C, Martins LMDRS, Baptista PV, Fernandes AR.  2019.  Targeting Cancer Resistance via Multifunctional Gold Nanoparticles. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 20, Number 21 AbstractWebsite

Resistance to chemotherapy is a major problem facing current cancer therapy, which is continuously aiming at the development of new compounds that are capable of tackling tumors that developed resistance toward common chemotherapeutic agents, such as doxorubicin (DOX). Alongside the development of new generations of compounds, nanotechnology-based delivery strategies can significantly improve the in vivo drug stability and target specificity for overcoming drug resistance. In this study, multifunctional gold nanoparticles (AuNP) have been used as a nanoplatform for the targeted delivery of an original anticancer agent, a Zn(II) coordination compound [Zn(DION)2]Cl2 (ZnD), toward better efficacy against DOX-resistant colorectal carcinoma cells (HCT116 DR). Selective delivery of the ZnD nanosystem to cancer cells was achieved by active targeting via cetuximab, NanoZnD, which significantly inhibited cell proliferation and triggered the death of resistant tumor cells, thus improving efficacy. In vivo studies in a colorectal DOX-resistant model corroborated the capability of NanoZnD for the selective targeting of cancer cells, leading to a reduction of tumor growth without systemic toxicity. This approach highlights the potential of gold nanoformulations for the targeting of drug-resistant cancer cells.