@article{Ferreira2024c,

title = {Exploring the Use of a Lipopeptide in Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine Monolayers for Enhanced Detection of Glyphosate in Aqueous Environments},

author = {Priscila S. Ferreira and Barbara B. Gerbelli and Ana C. H. Castro-Kochi and Bruna Cortez and Fabiola L. Castro and Jorge Cantero and Federico Iribarne and Ian W. Hamley and Wendel A. Alves},

url = {https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c01089},

doi = {10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c01089},

issn = {1520-5827},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-07-02},

urldate = {2024-07-02},

journal = {Langmuir},

volume = {40},

number = {26},

pages = {13583--13595},

publisher = {American Chemical Society (ACS)},

abstract = {The growing reliance on pesticides for pest management in agriculture highlights the need for new analytical methods to detect these substances in food and water. Our research introduces a SPRWG-(C18H37) lipopeptide (LP) as a functional analog of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) for glyphosate detection in environmental samples using phosphatidylcholine (PC) monolayers. This LP, containing hydrophilic amino acids linked to an 18-carbon aliphatic chain, alters lipid assembly properties, leading to a more flexible system. Changes included reduced molecular area and peak pressure in Langmuir adsorption isotherms. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses provided insights into the LP’s structural organization within the membrane and its interaction with glyphosate (PNG). Structural and geometric parameters, as derived from in silico molecular dynamics simulations (MD), substantiated the impact of LP on the monolayer structure and the interaction with PNG. Notably, the presence of the LP and glyphosate increased charge transfer resistance, indicating strong adherence of the monolayer to the indium tin oxide (ITO) surface and effective pesticide interaction. A calibration curve for glyphosate concentration adjustment revealed a detection limit (LOD) of 24 nmol L–1, showcasing the high sensitivity of this electrochemical biosensor. This LOD is significantly lower than that of a similar colorimetric biosensor in aqueous media with a detection limit of approximately 0.3 μmol L–1. Such an improvement in sensitivity likely stems from adding a polar residue to the amino acid chain of the LP.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Sodré2024,

title = {Intrinsic and environmental modulation of stereoselective aldol organocatalyzed reactions by proline-containing lipopeptides},

author = {Pedro Tendrih Sodré and Andrea Maria Aguilar and Wendel A. Alves and Maurício Domingues Coutinho-Neto},

url = {https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2024/ra/d4ra03222e},

doi = {10.1039/d4ra03222e},

issn = {2046-2069},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-06-27},

urldate = {2024-06-27},

journal = {RSC Adv.},

volume = {14},

number = {29},

pages = {21035--21046},

publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)},

abstract = {Proline, along with its derivatives, has been employed as an efficient organocatalyst for aldol reactions, with the ability to promote the creation of stereoselective C–C bonds. Even though the Houk–List transition state model is able to explain the stereoselectivity observed when proline is used as a catalyst, few studies investigate the role of microheterogeneous media in modulating the reaction outcome. In this work, molecular dynamics and electronic structure calculations were used to investigate the aldol reaction in the condensed phase. Our research focused on a lipopeptide compound incorporating the proline residue within the sequence PRWG-(C18H37), where P represents L-proline, R stands for L-arginine, W for L-tryptophan, and G for L-glycine. This sequence is covalently bonded to a hydrophobic segment formed by a long aliphatic chain, acting as an organocatalyst in an aqueous solution. This catalytic phase utilizes the complex chemical environment of the solution to achieve high selectivity. Our findings indicate a Houk–List-like mechanism, in which the amide acts as an H-bond donor, complemented by a mechanism in which the counter ion, trifluoracetic acid (TFA), acts as a proton shuttle. Both mechanisms demonstrated low energy barriers—12.23 and 1.42 kcal mol−1 for the (S,R) stereoisomer formation, computed using DLPNO-CCSD with def2-TZVPP basis set. Further, to explore the catalytic effect of the PRWG-(C18H37) lipopeptide in water, molecular dynamics simulations were conducted. It was observed that the micellar phase significantly enhances stereospecific encounters, favouring the experimentally observed ratio of (SR/SS) isomers, in contrast to reactions in a pure cyclohexanone medium. By quantifying the effects enabled by the supramolecular assembly, we were able to shed light on the factors that modify and enhance the stereoslectivity of the reaction.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Costa2024b,

title = {Single‐Response Duplexing of Electrochemical Label‐Free Biosensor from the Same Tag},

author = {Juliana N. Y. Costa and Gabriel J. C. Pimentel and Júlia A. Poker and Leandro Merces and Waldemir J. Paschoalino and Luis C. S. Vieira and Ana C. H. Castro and Wendel A. Alves and Lucas B. Ayres and Lauro T. Kubota and Murilo Santhiago and Carlos D. Garcia and Maria H. O. Piazzetta and Angelo L. Gobbi and Flávio M. Shimizu and Renato S. Lima},

url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/adhm.202303509},

doi = {10.1002/adhm.202303509},

issn = {2192-2659},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-04-00},

urldate = {2024-04-00},

journal = {Adv Healthcare Materials},

volume = {13},

number = {11},

publisher = {Wiley},

abstract = {Multiplexing is a valuable strategy to boost throughput and improve clinical accuracy. Exploiting the vertical, meshed design of reproducible and low-cost ultra-dense electrochemical chips, the unprecedented single-response multiplexing of typical label-free biosensors is reported. Using a cheap, handheld one-channel workstation and a single redox probe, that is, ferro/ferricyanide, the recognition events taking place on two spatially resolved locations of the same working electrode can be tracked along a single voltammetry scan by collecting the electrochemical signatures of the probe in relation to different quasi-reference electrodes, Au (0 V) and Ag/AgCl ink (+0.2 V). This spatial isolation prevents crosstalk between the redox tags and interferences over functionalization and binding steps, representing an advantage over the existing non-spatially resolved single-response multiplex strategies. As proof of concept, peptide-tethered immunosensors are demonstrated to provide the duplex detection of COVID-19 antibodies, thereby doubling the throughput while achieving 100% accuracy in serum samples. The approach is envisioned to enable broad applications in high-throughput and multi-analyte platforms, as it can be tailored to other biosensing devices and formats.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Oyadomari2023,

title = {Evaluation of tumor growth remission in a murine model for subcutaneous solid tumors – Benefits of associating the antitumor agent crotamine with mesoporous nanosilica particles to achieve improved dosing frequency and efficacy},

author = {William Yoshio Oyadomari and Gabriel Lessa Anthero and Marcos R. de A. Silva and Lucas C. Porta and Vitor Oliveira and Paul F. Reid and Osvaldo A. Sant'Anna and Wendel A. Alves and João V. Nani and Mirian Akemi Furuie Hayashi},

url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378517323008414},

doi = {10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123420},

issn = {0378-5173},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-11-00},

urldate = {2023-11-00},

journal = {International Journal of Pharmaceutics},

volume = {646},

publisher = {Elsevier BV},

abstract = {Crotamine is a highly cationic polypeptide first isolated from South American rattlesnake venom, which exhibits affinity for acidic lysosomal vesicles and proliferating cells. This cationic nature is pivotal for its in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo anticancer actions. This study aimed to enhance the antitumor efficacy of crotamine by associating it with the mesoporous SBA-15 silica, known for its controlled release of various chemical agents, including large proteins. This association aimed to mitigate the toxic effects while amplifying the pharmacological potency of several compounds. Comprehensive characterization, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta potential analysis, confirmed the successful association of crotamine with the non-toxic SBA-15 nanoparticles. The TEM imaging revealed nanoparticles with a nearly spherical shape and variations in uniformity upon crotamine association. Furthermore, DLS showed a narrow unimodal size distribution, emphasizing the formation of small aggregates. Zeta potential measurements indicated a distinct shift from negative to positive values upon crotamine association, underscoring its effective adsorption onto SBA-15. Intraperitoneal or oral administration of crotamine:SBA-15 in a murine melanoma model suggested the potential to reduce the frequency of crotamine doses without compromising efficacy. Interestingly, while the oral route enhanced the antitumor efficacy of crotamine, pH-dependent release from SBA-15 was observed. Thus, associating crotamine with SBA-15 could reduce the overall required dose to inhibit solid tumor growth, bolstering the prospect of crotamine as a potent anticancer agent.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Nunez2023,

title = {ZnO-Based Electrochemical Immunosensor to Assess Vaccine-Induced Antibody-Mediated Immunity against Wild-Type and Gamma SARS-CoV-2 Strains},

author = {Freddy A. Nunez and Ana C. H. Castro and Isabela P. Daher and Edecio Cunha-Neto and Jorge Kalil and Silvia B. Boscardin and Alexandre J. C. Lanfredi and Vivian L. de Oliveira and Wendel A. Alves},

url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6374/13/3/371},

doi = {10.3390/bios13030371},

issn = {2079-6374},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-03-00},

urldate = {2023-03-00},

journal = {Biosensors},

volume = {13},

number = {3},

publisher = {MDPI AG},

abstract = {The evaluation of serological responses to COVID-19 is crucial for population-level surveillance, developing new vaccines, and evaluating the efficacy of different immunization programs. Research and development of point-of-care test technologies remain essential to improving immunity assessment, especially for SARS-CoV-2 variants that partially evade vaccine-induced immune responses. In this work, an impedimetric biosensor based on the immobilization of the recombinant trimeric wild-type spike protein (S protein) on zinc oxide nanorods (ZnONRs) was employed for serological evaluation. We successfully assessed its applicability using serum samples from spike-based COVID-19 vaccines: ChAdOx1-S (Oxford–AstraZeneca) and BNT162b2 (Pfizer–BioNTech). Overall, the ZnONRs/ spike-modified electrode displayed accurate results for both vaccines, showing excellent potential as a tool for assessing and monitoring seroprevalence in the population. A refined outcome of this technology was achieved when the ZnO immunosensor was functionalized with the S protein from the P.1 linage (Gamma variant). Serological responses against samples from vaccinated individuals were acquired with excellent performance. Following studies based on traditional serological tests, the ZnONRs/spike immunosensor data reveal that ChAdOx1-S vaccinated individuals present significantly less antibody-mediated immunity against the Gamma variant than the BNT162b2 vaccine, highlighting the great potential of this point-of-care technology for evaluating vaccine-induced humoral immunity against different SARS-CoV-2 strains.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Nunez2022,

title = {Electrochemical Immunosensors Based on Zinc Oxide Nanorods for Detection of Antibodies Against SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein in Convalescent and Vaccinated Individuals},

author = {Freddy A. Nunez and Ana C. H. Castro and Vivian L. de Oliveira and Ariane C. Lima and Jamille R. Oliveira and Giuliana X. de Medeiros and Greyce L. Sasahara and Keity S. Santos and Alexandre J. C. Lanfredi and Wendel A. Alves},

url = {https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsbiomaterials.2c00509},

doi = {10.1021/acsbiomaterials.2c00509},

issn = {2373-9878},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-09},

urldate = {2023-01-09},

journal = {ACS Biomater. Sci. Eng.},

volume = {9},

number = {1},

pages = {458--473},

publisher = {American Chemical Society (ACS)},

abstract = {Even after over 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, research on rapid, inexpensive, and accurate tests remains essential for controlling and avoiding the global spread of SARS-CoV-2 across the planet during a potential reappearance in future global waves or regional outbreaks. Assessment of serological responses for COVID-19 can be beneficial for population-level surveillance purposes, supporting the development of novel vaccines and evaluating the efficacy of different immunization programs. This can be especially relevant for broadly used inactivated whole virus vaccines, such as CoronaVac, which produced lower titers of neutralizing antibodies. and showed lower efficacy for specific groups such as the elderly and immunocompromised. We developed an impedimetric biosensor based on the immobilization of SARS-CoV-2 recombinant trimeric spike protein (S protein) on zinc oxide nanorod (ZnONR)-modified fluorine-doped tin oxide substrates for COVID-19 serology testing. Due to electrostatic interactions, the negatively charged S protein was immobilized via physical adsorption. The electrochemical response of the immunosensor was measured at each modification step and characterized by scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical techniques. We successfully evaluated the applicability of the modified ZnONR electrodes using serum samples from COVID-19 convalescent individuals, CoronaVac-vaccinated with or without positive results for SARS-CoV-2 infection, and pre-pandemic samples from healthy volunteers as controls. ELISA for IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein was performed for comparison, and ELISA for IgG anti-RBDs of seasonal coronavirus (HCoVs) was used to test the specificity of immunosensor detection. No cross-reactivity with HCoVs was detected using the ZnONR immunosensor, and more interestingly, the sensor presented higher sensitivity when compared to negative ELISA results. The results demonstrate that the ZnONRs/spike-modified electrode displayed sensitive results for convalescents and vaccinated samples and shows excellent potential as a tool for the population’s assessment and monitoring of seroconversion and seroprevalence.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Alves2022,

title = {Looking into a crystal ball: printing and patterning self-assembled peptide nanostructures},

author = {Wendel A. Alves and Gavin M. King and Suchismita Guha},

url = {https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2022/nr/d2nr03750e/unauth},

doi = {10.1039/d2nr03750e},

issn = {2040-3372},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-11-03},

urldate = {2022-11-03},

journal = {Nanoscale},

volume = {14},

number = {42},

pages = {15607--15616},

publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)},

abstract = {The solution processability of organic semiconductors and conjugated polymers along with the advent of nanomaterials as conducting inks have revolutionized next-generation flexible consumer electronics. Another equally important class of nanomaterials, self-assembled peptides, heralded as next-generation materials for bioelectronics, have a lot of potential in printed technology. In this minireview, we address the self-assembly process in dipeptides, their application in electronics, and recent progress in three-dimensional printing. The prospect of a generalizable path for nanopatterning self-assembled peptides using ice lithography and its challenges are further discussed.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Castro2022b,

title = {Modular Label-Free Electrochemical Biosensor Loading Nature-Inspired Peptide toward the Widespread Use of COVID-19 Antibody Tests},

author = {Ana C. H. Castro and Ítalo R. S. Bezerra and Aline M. Pascon and Gabriela H. da Silva and Eric A. Philot and Vivian L. de Oliveira and Rodrigo S. N. Mancini and Gabriel R. Schleder and Carlos E. Castro and Luciani R. S. de Carvalho and Bianca H. V. Fernandes and Eduardo M. Cilli and Paulo R. S. Sanches and Murilo Santhiago and Ives Charlie-Silva and Diego S. T. Martinez and Ana L. Scott and Wendel A. Alves and Renato S. Lima},

url = {https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsnano.2c04364},

doi = {10.1021/acsnano.2c04364},

issn = {1936-086X},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-09-27},

urldate = {2022-09-27},

journal = {ACS Nano},

volume = {16},

number = {9},

pages = {14239--14253},

publisher = {American Chemical Society (ACS)},

abstract = {Limitations of the recognition elements in terms of synthesis, cost, availability, and stability have impaired the translation of biosensors into practical use. Inspired by nature to mimic the molecular recognition of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 S protein antibody (AbS) by the S protein binding site, we synthesized the peptide sequence of Asn-Asn-Ala-Thr-Asn-COOH (abbreviated as PEP2003) to create COVID-19 screening label-free (LF) biosensors based on a carbon electrode, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The PEP2003 is easily obtained by chemical synthesis, and it can be adsorbed on electrodes while maintaining its ability for AbS recognition, further leading to a sensitivity 3.4-fold higher than the full-length S protein, which is in agreement with the increase in the target-to-receptor size ratio. Peptide-loaded LF devices based on noncovalent immobilization were developed by affording fast and simple analyses, along with a modular functionalization. From studies by molecular docking, the peptide–AbS binding was found to be driven by hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. Moreover, the peptide is not amenable to denaturation, thus addressing the trade-off between scalability, cost, and robustness. The biosensor preserves 95.1% of the initial signal for 20 days when stored dry at 4 °C. With the aid of two simple equations fitted by machine learning (ML), the method was able to make the COVID-19 screening of 39 biological samples into healthy and infected groups with 100.0% accuracy. By taking advantage of peptide-related merits combined with advances in surface chemistry and ML-aided accuracy, this platform is promising to bring COVID-19 biosensors into mainstream use toward straightforward, fast, and accurate analyses at the point of care, with social and economic impacts being achieved.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Gerbelli2022,

title = {Interaction between glyphosate pesticide and amphiphilic peptides for colorimetric analysis},

author = {Barbara B. Gerbelli and Pedro L. O. Filho and Bruna Cortez and Pedro T. Sodré and Mauricio D. Coutinho-Neto and Ian W. Hamley and Jani Seitsonen and Wendel A. Alves},

url = {https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2022/na/d2na00345g},

doi = {10.1039/d2na00345g},

issn = {2516-0230},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-08-23},

urldate = {2022-08-23},

journal = {Nanoscale Adv.},

volume = {4},

number = {17},

pages = {3592--3599},

publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)},

abstract = {The large-scale use of glyphosate pesticides in food production has attracted attention due to environmental damage and toxicity risks. Several regulatory authorities have established safe limits or concentrations of these pesticides in water and various food products consumed daily. The irreversible inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity is one of the strategies used for pesticide detection. Herein, we found that lipopeptide sequences can act as biomimetic microenvironments of AChE, showing higher catalytic activities than natural enzymes in an aqueous solution, based on IC50 values. These biomolecules contain in the hydrophilic part the amino acids L-proline (P), L-arginine (R), L-tryptophan (W), and L-glycine (G), covalently linked to a hydrophobic part formed by one or two long aliphatic chains. The obtained materials are referred to as compounds 1 and 2, respectively. According to fluorescence assays, 2 is more hydrophobic than 1. The circular dichroism (CD) data present a significant difference in the molar ellipticity values, likely related to distinct conformations assumed by the proline residue in the lipopeptide supramolecular structure in solution. The morphological aspect was further characterized using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), which showed that compounds 1 and 2 self-assembly into cylindrical and planar core–shell structures, respectively. The mimetic AchE behaviour of lipopeptides was confirmed by Ellman's hydrolysis reaction, where the proline residue in the peptides act as a nucleophilic scavenger of organophosphate pesticides. Moreover, the isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) experiments revealed that host–guest interactions in both systems were dominated by enthalpically-driven thermodynamics. UV-vis kinetic experiments were performed to assess the inhibition of the lipopeptide catalytic activity and the IC50 values were obtained, and we found that the detection limit correlated with the increase in hydrophobicity of the lipopeptides, implying the micellization process is more favorable.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Mancini2022,

title = {Development and Validation of a SERS-Based Serological Test Combined with PLS-DA Method for Leishmaniasis Detection},

author = {Rodrigo S. N. Mancini and Amanda E. Sabaine and Carlos E. Castro and Juliana B. T. Carnielli and Reynaldo Dietze and Vivian L. de Oliveira and Alexandre J. C. Lanfredi and Lauro T. Kubota and Mónica B. Mamián-López and Wendel A. Alves},

url = {https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsaelm.2c00625},

doi = {10.1021/acsaelm.2c00625},

issn = {2637-6113},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-08-23},

urldate = {2022-08-23},

journal = {ACS Appl. Electron. Mater.},

volume = {4},

number = {8},

pages = {3997--4006},

publisher = {American Chemical Society (ACS)},

abstract = {The fast and reliable anti-leishmaniasis antibody detection method was developed using citrate-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) conjugated with an immunogenic peptide from promastigote surface antigens. These conjugates recognize specific antibodies that promote the aggregation of AuNPs in the solution, enabling a remarkable surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity which allowed the development of an indirect detection test for human visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Dynamic and static light scattering methods were performed to investigate the aggregation process of the peptide-capped AuNPs induced by the addition of the specific polyclonal antibody anti-PSAdP23–47 in the diagnostic test. UV–vis spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that AuNPs of different sizes are formed after interacting with antibodies against promastigote surface antigen (PSA)-derived peptides from the amino acid residues 23–47 (PSAdP23–47), confirmed by the plasmon resonance band position from 536 to 639 nm and light-scattering techniques. Experimental optimization of the SERS-based serological test showed that increasing the peptide and the citrate buffer concentration induces stronger Raman intensities. In addition, the multivariate curve resolution with alternating least squares allowed the identification of a fingerprint window within the range of 1043–1498 cm–1. Finally, a refined data analysis approach was successfully employed, enabling a robust differentiation between human sera from VL and non-VL patients. Prototype validation and proof of concept to demonstrate the feasibility and functionality of the sensor were carried out through calibration and optimization using a partial least squares discriminant analysis model with six latent variables, which validated the test reaching 100% sensitivity and 88.2% specificity. These results show the potential of the SERS platform for constructing a point-of-need serological test for diagnosing VL, a neglected tropical disease with a strong humoral immune response.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{doNascimento2022b,

title = {Interfacial Self-Assembly of Silk Fibroin Polypeptides and α-NiCo(OH)2 Nanocrystals with Tunable Energy Storage Applications},

author = {Eduardo R. do Nascimento and Barbara B. Gerbelli and Fabio F. Ferreira and Fanny N. Costa and Philip A. Chater and Wendel A. Alves},

url = {https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsaelm.1c01278},

doi = {10.1021/acsaelm.1c01278},

issn = {2637-6113},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-03-22},

urldate = {2022-03-22},

journal = {ACS Appl. Electron. Mater.},

volume = {4},

number = {3},

pages = {1214--1224},

publisher = {American Chemical Society (ACS)},

abstract = {There is an increasing interest in the self-assembly process from a bottom-up approach to synthesize functional structures for engineering applications. Silk fibroin is a protein extracted from the cocoons of silkworm Bombyx mori that can be processed into various materials generally stabilized by the induction of β-sheet formation through the use of solvents or by physical stretching. In our study, the introduction of cobalt-substituted nickel hydroxide nanoparticles on silk fibroin presented a dual effect causing the stabilization of the α polymorph of nickel hydroxide and promoting a highly connected network of the β-sheet crystalline domain in the fibroin chains. Electrochemical measurements were performed to examine silk fibroin (SF)/NiCo(OH)2 hybrid materials. The optimized sample exhibits a high specific capacity of 362 mA h g–1 at a current density of 1 A g–1, maintaining steady electrochemical performance >75% of the initial value at higher current densities. The presented assembly provides a route for preparing monodisperse inorganic nanoparticles in the presence of SF as an organic matrix with potential energy storage properties.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{deMello2022,

title = {Nanostructure Formation and Cell Spheroid Morphogenesis of a Peptide Supramolecular Hydrogel},

author = {Lucas R. de Mello and Vinicius Carrascosa and Eduardo Rebelato and Maria A. Juliano and Ian W. Hamley and Valeria Castelletto and Sandra V. Vassiliades and Wendel A. Alves and Clovis R. Nakaie and Emerson R. da Silva},

url = {https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c03215},

doi = {10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c03215},

issn = {1520-5827},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-03-22},

urldate = {2022-03-22},

journal = {Langmuir},

volume = {38},

number = {11},

pages = {3434--3445},

publisher = {American Chemical Society (ACS)},

abstract = {Peptide-based hydrogels have attracted much attention due to their extraordinary applications in biomedicine and offer an excellent mimic for the 3D microenvironment of the extracellular matrix. These hydrated matrices comprise fibrous networks held together by a delicate balance of intermolecular forces. Here, we investigate the hydrogelation behavior of a designed decapeptide containing a tetraleucine self-assembling backbone and fibronectin-related tripeptides near both ends of the strand. We have observed that this synthetic peptide can produce hydrogel matrices entrapping >99% wt/vol % water. Ultrastructural analyses combining atomic force microscopy, small-angle neutron scattering, and X-ray diffraction revealed that amyloid-like fibrils form cross-linked networks endowed with remarkable thermal stability, the structure of which is not disrupted up to temperatures >80 °C. We also examined the interaction of peptide hydrogels with either NIH3T3 mouse fibroblasts or HeLa cells and discovered that the matrices sustain cell viability and induce morphogenesis into grape-like cell spheroids. The results presented here show that this decapeptide is a remarkable building block to prepare highly stable scaffolds simultaneously endowed with high water retention capacity and the ability to instruct cell growth into tumor-like spheroids even in noncarcinoma lineages.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Nicoliche2022b,

title = {In Situ Nanocoating on Porous Pyrolyzed Paper Enables Antibiofouling and Sensitive Electrochemical Analyses in Biological Fluids},

author = {Caroline Y. N. Nicoliche and Aline M. Pascon and Ítalo R. S. Bezerra and Ana C. H. de Castro and Gabriel R. Martos and Jefferson Bettini and Wendel A. Alves and Murilo Santhiago and Renato S. Lima},

url = {https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsami.1c18778},

doi = {10.1021/acsami.1c18778},

issn = {1944-8252},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-19},

urldate = {2022-01-19},

journal = {ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces},

volume = {14},

number = {2},

pages = {2522--2533},

publisher = {American Chemical Society (ACS)},

abstract = {Electrochemical detection in complex biofluids is a long-standing challenge as electrode biofouling hampers its sensing performance and commercial translation. To overcome this drawback, pyrolyzed paper as porous electrode coupled with the drop casting of an off-the-shelf polysorbate, that is, Tween 20 (T20), is described here by taking advantage of the in situ formation of a hydrophilic nanocoating (2 nm layer of T20). The latter prevents biofouling while providing the capillarity of samples through paper pores, leveraging redox reactions across both only partially fouled and fresh electrodic surfaces with increasing detection areas. The nanometric thickness of this blocking layer is also essential by not significantly impairing the electron-transfer kinetics. These phenomena behave synergistically to enhance the sensibility that further increases over long-term exposures (4 h) in biological fluids. While the state-of-the-art antibiofouling strategies compromise the sensibility, this approach leads to peak currents that are up to 12.5-fold higher than the original currents after 1 h exposure to unprocessed human plasma. Label-free impedimetric immunoassays through modular bioconjugation by directly anchoring spike protein on gold nanoparticles are also allowed, as demonstrated for the COVID-19 screening of patient sera. The scalability and simplicity of the platform combined with its unique ability to operate in biofluids with enhanced sensibility provide the generation of promising biosensing technologies toward real-world applications in point-of-care diagnostics, mass testing, and in-home monitoring of chronic diseases.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{UlloaRojas2021b,

title = {Silk Fibroin/Poly(vinyl Alcohol) Microneedles as Carriers for the Delivery of Singlet Oxygen Photosensitizers},

author = {Jose Eduardo Ulloa Rojas and Vivian Leite de Oliveira and Daniele Ribeiro de Araujo and Giovana Radomille Tofoli and Matheus Mendes de Oliveira and Danilo Justino Carastan and Moises Palaci and Francesca Giuntini and Wendel A. Alves},

url = {https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c00913},

doi = {10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c00913},

issn = {2373-9878},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-10},

urldate = {2022-01-10},

journal = {ACS Biomater. Sci. Eng.},

volume = {8},

number = {1},

pages = {128--139},

publisher = {American Chemical Society (ACS)},

abstract = {Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a medical treatment in which a combination of a photosensitizing drug and visible light produces highly cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) that leads to cell death. One of the main drawbacks of PDT for topical treatments is the limited skin penetration of some photosensitizers commonly used in this therapy. In this study, we propose the use of polymeric microneedles (MNs) prepared from silk fibroin and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) to increase the penetration efficiency of porphyrin as possible applications in photodynamic therapy. The microneedle arrays were fabricated from mixtures in different proportions (1:0, 7:3, 1:1, 3:7, and 0:1) of silk fibroin and PVA solutions (7%); the polymer solutions were cast in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) molds and dried overnight. Patches containing grids of 10 × 10 microneedles with a square-based pyramidal shape were successfully produced through this approach. The polymer microneedle arrays showed good mechanical strength under compression force and sufficient insertion depth in both Parafilm M and excised porcine skin at different application forces (5, 20, 30, and 40 N) using a commercial applicator. We observe an increase in the cumulative permeation of 5-[4-(2-carboxyethanoyl) aminophenyl]-10,15,20-tris-(4-sulphonatophenyl) porphyrin trisodium through porcine skin treated with the polymer microneedles after 24 h. MNs may be a promising carrier for the transdermal delivery of photosensitizers for PDT, improving the permeation of photosensitizer molecules through the skin, thus improving the efficiency of this therapy for topical applications.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Zelenovskii2021b,

title = {2D Layered Dipeptide Crystals for Piezoelectric Applications},

author = {Pavel S. Zelenovskii and Konstantin Romanyuk and Michelle S. Liberato and Paula Brandão and Fabio F. Ferreira and Svitlana Kopyl and Luís M. Mafra and Wendel A. Alves and Andrei L. Kholkin},

url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/adfm.202102524},

doi = {10.1002/adfm.202102524},

issn = {1616-3028},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-10-00},

urldate = {2021-10-00},

journal = {Adv Funct Materials},

volume = {31},

number = {43},

publisher = {Wiley},

abstract = {2D piezoelectric materials such as transition metal dichalcogenides are attracting significant attention because they offer various benefits over bulk piezoelectrics. In this work, the fabrication of layered biomolecular crystals of diphenylalanine (FF) obtained via a co-assembly of l,l- and d,d- enantiomers of FF monomers is reported. Their crystal structure, thermal and chemical stabilities, and piezoelectric properties are investigated. Single crystal X-ray diffraction results show that FF enantiomers are arranged in the form of bilayers consisting of monomers with alternating chirality packed into a tape-like monoclinic structure belonging to a polar space group P21. Each bilayer (≈1.5 nm thick) demonstrates strong out-of-plane piezoelectricity (d33 ≈ 20 pm V−1) that is almost an order of magnitude higher than in the archetypical piezoelectric material quartz. The grown crystals demonstrate better thermal and chemical stabilities than self-assembled hexagonal FF nanotubes studied in the past. Piezoelectric bilayers, being held via weak aromatic interaction in the bulk crystals, can be exfoliated by mechanical or chemical methods, thus resulting in a 2D piezoelectric material, which can find various applications in biocompatible and ecologically friendly electromechanical microdevices, such as sensors, actuators, and energy harvesting elements used in implantable and wearable electronics.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Soares2021,

title = {Structure optimization of lipopeptide assemblies for aldol reactions in an aqueous medium},

author = {Bruna M. Soares and Pedro T. Sodré and Andrea M. Aguilar and Barbara B. Gerbelli and Juliane N. B. D. Pelin and Karina B. Argüello and Emerson R. Silva and Marcelo A. de Farias and Rodrigo V. Portugal and Carsten Schmuck and Maurício D. Coutinho-Neto and Wendel A. Alves},

url = {https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2021/cp/d1cp01060c/unauth},

doi = {10.1039/d1cp01060c},

issn = {1463-9084},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-05-12},

urldate = {2021-05-12},

journal = {Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys.},

volume = {23},

number = {18},

pages = {10953--10963},

publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)},

abstract = {Four amphiphilic peptides were synthesized, characterized, and evaluated regarding their efficiency in the catalysis of direct aldol reactions in water. The lipopeptides differ by having a double lipid chain and a guanidinium pyrrole group functionalizing one Lys side chain. All the samples are composed of the amino acids L-proline (P), L-arginine (R), or L-lysine (K) functionalized with the cationic guanidiniocarbonyl pyrrole unit (GCP), L-tryptophan (W), and L-glycine (G), covalently linked to one or two long aliphatic chains, leading to surfactant-like designs with controlled proline protonation state and different stereoselectivity. Critical aggregation concentrations (cac) were higher in the presence of the GCP group, suggesting that self-assembly depends on charge distribution along the peptide backbone. Cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy (Cryo-TEM) and Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) showed a rich polymorphism including spherical, cylindrical, and bilayer structures. Molecular dynamics simulations performed to assess the lipopeptide polymorphs revealed an excellent agreement with core–shell arrangements derived from SAXS data and provided an atomistic view of the changes incurred by modifying head groups and lipid chains. The resulting nanostructures behaved as excellent catalysts for aldol condensation reactions, in which superior conversions (>99%), high diastereoselectivities (ds = 94 : 6), and enantioselectivities (ee = 92%) were obtained. Our findings contribute to elucidate the effect of nanoscale organization of lipopeptide assemblies in the catalysis of aldol reactions in an aqueous environment.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Dognini2021,

title = {Peptide-Tetrapyrrole Supramolecular Self-Assemblies: State of the Art},

author = {Paolo Dognini and Christopher R. Coxon and Wendel A. Alves and Francesca Giuntini},

url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/3/693},

doi = {10.3390/molecules26030693},

issn = {1420-3049},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-02-00},

urldate = {2021-02-00},

journal = {Molecules},

volume = {26},

number = {3},

publisher = {MDPI AG},

abstract = {The covalent and noncovalent association of self-assembling peptides and tetrapyrroles was explored as a way to generate systems that mimic Nature’s functional supramolecular structures. Different types of peptides spontaneously assemble with porphyrins, phthalocyanines, or corroles to give long-range ordered architectures, whose structure is determined by the features of both components. The regular morphology and ordered molecular arrangement of these systems enhance the photochemical properties of embedded chromophores, allowing applications as photo-catalysts, antennas for dye-sensitized solar cells, biosensors, and agents for light-triggered therapies. Chemical modifications of peptide and tetrapyrrole structures and control over the assembly process can steer the organization and influence the properties of the resulting system. Here we provide a review of the field, focusing on the assemblies obtained from different classes of self-assembling peptides with tetrapyrroles, their morphologies and their applications as innovative functional materials.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}