Metal-based nanoparticles are widely used to deliver bioactive molecules and drugs to improve cancer therapy. Several research works have highlighted the synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles by green chemistry, using biological entities to minimize the use of solvents and control their physicochemical and biological properties. Recent advances in evaluating the anticancer effect of green biogenic Au and Ag nanoparticles are mainly focused on the use of conventional 2D cell culture and in vivo murine models that allow determination of the half-maximal inhibitory concentration, a critical parameter to move forward clinical trials. However, the interaction between nanoparticles and the tumor microenvironment is not yet fully understood. Therefore, it is necessary to develop more human-like evaluation models or to improve the existing ones for a better understanding of the molecular bases of cancer. This review provides recent advances in biosynthesized Au and Ag nanoparticles for seven of the most common and relevant cancers and their biological assessment. In addition, it provides a general idea of the in silico, in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models used for the anticancer evaluation of green biogenic metal-based nanoparticles.

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a disease of cattle that represents a risk to public health and causes severe economic losses to the livestock industry. Recently, genetic studies, like genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have greatly improved the investigation of complex diseases identifying thousands of disease-associated genomic variants. Here, we present evidence of genetic variants associated with resistance to TB in Mexican dairy cattle using a case-control approach with a selective DNA pooling experimental design. A total of 154 QTLRs (quantitative trait loci regions) at 10% PFP (proportion of false positives), 42 at 5% PFP and 5 at 1% PFP have been identified, which harbored 172 annotated genes. On BTA13, five new QTLRs were identified in the MACROD2 and KIF16B genes, supporting their involvement in resistance to bTB. Six QTLRs harbor seven annotated genes that have been previously reported as involved in immune response against Mycobacterium spp: BTA (Bos taurus autosome) 1 (CD80), BTA3 (CTSS), BTA 3 (FCGR1A), BTA 23 (HFE), BTA 25 (IL21R), and BTA 29 (ANO9 and SIGIRR). We identified novel QTLRs harboring genes involved in Mycobacterium spp. immune response. This is a first screening for resistance to TB infection on Mexican dairy cattle based on a dense SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) chip.

Assembly of recombinant capsid proteins into virus-like particles (VLPs) still represents an interesting challenge in virus-based nanotechnologies. The structure of VLPs has gained importance for the development and design of new adjuvants and antigen carriers. The potential of Tobacco etch virus capsid protein (TEV CP) as adjuvant has not been evaluated to date. Two constructs for TEV CP expression in Escherichia coli were generated: a wild-type version (TEV-CP) and a C-terminal hexahistidine (His)-tagged version (His-TEV-CP). Although both versions were expressed in the soluble fraction of E. coli lysates, only His-TEV-CP self-assembled into micrometric flexuous filamentous VLPs. In addition, the His-tag enabled high yields and facilitated purification of TEV VLPs. These TEV VLPs elicited broader IgG2-specific antibody response against a novel porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) protein when compared to the potent IgG1 response induced by the protein alone. His-TEV CP was purified by immobilized metal affinity chromatography and assembled into VLPs, some of them reaching 2-μm length. TEV VLPs administered along with PRRSV chimeric protein changed the IgG2/IgG1 ratio against the chimeric protein, suggesting that TEV CP can modulate the immune response against a soluble antigen.

Background: Androgen receptor mutations, particularly T877A and W741L, promote prostate cancer (PCa). The main therapies against PCa use androgen receptor (AR) antagonists, including Bicalutamide; but these drugs lose their effectiveness over time. Chrysin is a flavonoid with several biological activities, including antitumoral properties; however, its potential as an antiandrogen must be explored. Objective: The present study aimed to characterize and compare the molecular interactions of chrysin with wild-type and mutated ARs and their cytotoxic effect in an in vitro model of PCa. Methods: The affinities and molecular interactions of Bicalutamide and chrysin for the wild-type and mutated forms of AR were assessed by molecular docking. The MTT assay was used to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of these ligands on the DU-145 (T877A) and PC3 (W741L) PCa cell lines and on non-tumoral RWPE-1 cells. Results: The molecular dockings predicted a higher affinity of chrysin for the mutated AR than the wild-type AR (WT-AR); meanwhile, Bicalutamide presented a higher affinity for WT-AR. The amino acid residues involved in molecular interactions within the binding site of these receptors changed according to the ligands and AR variants, affecting their affinity scores. Chrysin exerted a specific cytotoxic effect against the PCa tumoral cells but none against the non-tumoral cells. In contrast, Bicalutamide showed potent cytotoxicity against all cell lines. Thus, the cytotoxic effect of chrysin against the DU-145 and PC3 cell line may be related to its strong and specific molecular interaction with the mutated ARs. Conclusion: This study evidences the potential antiandrogen effect of chrysin on mutated AR and specific cytotoxicity against PCa cells, suggesting that this flavonoid should be further studied in vivo to confirm its potential for therapy of advanced PCa.