Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most aggressive and lethal malignancy of the central nervous system. Temozolomide is the standard of care for gliomas, frequently results in resistance to drug and tumor recurrence. Therefore, further research is required for the development of effective drugs in order to guarantee specific treatments to succeed. The aim of current study was to investigate the effects of nerve growth factor (NGF), human cathelicidin (LL-37), protegrin-1 (PG-1), and temozolomide on bioenergetic function of mitochondria, clonogenicity, and migration of human U251 glioma cells. Colony formation assay was used to test the ability of the glioma cells to form colonies in vitro. The U251 glioma cells migration was evaluated using wound-healing assay. To study the mitochondrial metabolism in glioma cells we measured oxygen consumption rates (OCR) and extracellular acidification rates (ECAR) using a Seahorse XF cell Mito stress test kit and Seahorse XF cell Glycolysis stress kit, respectively. We revealed that LL-37, NGF, and TMZ show strong anti-tumorigenic activity on GMB. LL-37 (4 μM), TMZ (155 μM), and NGF (7.55 × 10⁻³ μM) inhibited 43.9%–60.3%, 73.5%–81.3%, 66.2% the clonogenicity of glioma U251 cells for 1–2 days, respectively. LL-37 (4 μM), and NGF (7.55 × 10⁻³ μM) inhibited the migration of U251 glioma cells on the third and fourth days. TMZ also inhibited the migration of human glioma U251 cells over 1–3 days. In contrast, PG-1 (16 μM) stimulated the migration of U251 glioma cells on the second, fourth, and sixth days. Anti-mitogenic and anti-migration activities of NGF, LL-37, and TMZ maybe are relation to their capacity to reduce the basal OCR, ATP-synthetase, and maximal respiration of mitochondria in human glioma U251 cells. Glycolysis, glycolytic capacity and glycolytic spare in glioma U251 cells haven`t been changed under the effect of NGF, LL-37, PG-1, and TMZ in regard to control level. Thus, LL-37 and NGF inhibit migration and clonogenicity of U251 glioma cells, which may indicate that these compounds have anti-mitogenic and anti-migration effects on human glioma cells. The study of the mechanisms of these effects may contribute in the future to the use of NGF and LL-37 as therapeutic agents for gliomas.

This article describes the one-pot microwave synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) assisted with natural polyelectrolytes—humic substances (HS). The humic polyelectrolytes served both as chemical reductants for silver ions and as end-capping agents for AgNPs. Three commercially available sodium humates extracted from lignites and leonardite and one sodium fulvate isolated from natural brown water seeped through peat deposits were used in this study. The dynamics of the growth rate of AgNPs was characterised by UV–VIS spectroscopy by measuring the intensity of surface plasmon resonance at 420 nm. Transmission electron microscopy was used to characterise the size and morphology of AgNPs. Dynamic light scattering was used to determine size distributions of the synthesised AgNPs in the solutions. It was established that both conventional and microwave syntheses assisted with the coal humates produced small-size AgNPs in the range from 4 to 14 nm, with the maximum share of particles with sizes of (6 ± 2) nm by TEM estimates. The peat fulvate yielded much larger NPs with sizes from 10 to 50 nm by TEM estimates. DLS measurements revealed multimodal distributions of AgNPs stabilised with HS, which included both single NPs with the sizes from 5 to 15 nm, as well as their dominating aggregates with sizes from 20 to 200 nm and a smaller portion of extra-large aggregates up to 1000 nm. The given aggregates were loosely bound by humic polyelectrolyte, which prevented the coalescence of AgNPs into larger particles, as can be seen in the TEM images. The significant acceleration in the reaction time—a factor of 60 to 70—was achieved with the use of MW irradiation: from 240 min down to 210–240 s. The coal humate stabilised AgNPs showed antimicrobial properties in relation to S. aureus. A conclusion was made regarding the substantial advantages of microwave synthesis in the context of time and scaling up for the large-scale production of AgNP-HS preparations with antimicrobial properties suitable for external wound-healing applications.

The internet of bio-nanothings has become an important research topic last years, because of the broad opportunities for the new applications that it provides. The key problem which should be solved is a creation of its-bio interface for integration of the living substance into the cyberspace. This paper formulates the general conjugation principle of a living substance with an info-communication system, and develops an integrated system enabling quantitative and qualitative measurements of the certain processes occurring in living organism with a feedback. The study reveals the design of an integrated system and the way of interaction between components can be organized. Further, the paper reviews the medical health status indicators that can be used in an integrated system for analyzing the processes occurring in the body. Then, the possible applications as well as the open research problems are presented.

Significant progress in understanding the genetic contribution in obesity and its prevalence at all ages has been achieved since existing methods of treatment and preventive measures aimed at combating obesity are not effective enough.Purpose. To study the prevalence of pathologic single nucleotide polymorphisms rs6265 of the brain neutrophic factor gene BDNF; rs1137101 of the leptin receptor gene LEPR; rs9939609 of the gene, associated with fat mass, FTO; rs4762 and rs699 of angiotensinogen AGT gene; rs1799883 of fatty acid transporter gene FABP2; rs1801282 of PPARG2 gene in obese adolescent girls.Material and methods. 72 teenage girls aged 12–17 years were examined. Group 1 consisted of 36 obese children (standard deviation coefficient SDS BMI ≥ 2.0), group 2 — 36 non-obese children (SDS BMI <1.0). Anthropometric, molecular genetic, and statistical methods were used.Results. In obese adolescent girls, an association was detected with only one gene — PPARG2, a polymorphic locus (Pro/Pro). The prevalence rate of the C allele in group 1 was 80%, in group 2 — 3% (p<0.05). No statistically significant differences in the frequencies of genotypes and alleles of other genes in children with obesity and normal body weight were established.Conclusion. Further large-scale studies, including biochemical and hormonal parameters, are needed to establish the influence of specific polymorphic loci of various genes contributing in obesity and metabolic processes.