Bioengineering / Biyomühendislik
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/11147/4529
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Article Citation - WoS: 9Citation - Scopus: 9Fabrication and Development of a Microfluidic Paper-Based Immunosorbent Assay Platform (μpisa) for Colorimetric Detection of Hepatitis C(Royal Society of Chemistry, 2023) Özefe, Fatih; Arslan Yıldız, AhuPaper-based microfluidics is an emerging analysis tool used in various applications, especially in point-of-care (PoC) diagnostic applications, due to its advantages over other types of microfluidic devices in terms of simplicity in both production and operation, cost-effectiveness, rapid response time, low sample consumption, biocompatibility, and ease of disposal. Recently, various techniques have been developed and utilized for the fabrication of paper-based microfluidics, such as photolithography, micro-embossing, wax and PDMS printing, etc. In this study, we offer a fabrication methodology for a microfluidic paper-based immunosorbent assay (μPISA) platform and the detection of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) was carried out to validate this platform. A laser ablation technique was utilized to form hydrophobic barriers easily and rapidly, which was the major advantage of the developed fabrication methodology. The characterization of the μPISA platform was performed in terms of micro-channel properties using bright-field (BF) microscopy, and surface properties using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). At the same time, sample volume and liquid handling capacity were analyzed quantitatively. Ablation speed (S) and laser power (P) were optimized, and it was shown that one combination (10P60S) provided minimal deviation in micro-channel dimensions and prevented deterioration of hydrophobic barriers. Also, the minimum hydrophobic barrier width, which prevents cross-barrier bleeding, was determined to be 255.92 ± 10.01 μm. Furthermore, colorimetric HCV NS3 detection was implemented to optimize and validate the μPISA platform. Here, HCV NS3 in both PBS and human blood plasma was successfully detected by the naked eye at concentrations as low as 1 ng mL−1 and 10 ng mL−1, respectively. Moreover, the limit of detection (LoD) values for HCV NS3 were acquired as 0.796 ng mL−1 in PBS and 2.203 ng mL−1 in human blood plasma with a turnaround time of 90 min. In comparison with conventional ELISA, highly sensitive and rapid HCV NS3 detection was accomplished colorimetrically on the developed μPISA platform.Article Citation - WoS: 3Citation - Scopus: 3Structural and Functional Analyses of Gh51 Alpha-L of Geobacillus Vulcani Gs90 Reveal Crucial Residues for Catalytic Activity and Thermostability(Wiley, 2022) Sürmeli, Yusuf; Şanlı Mohamed, GülşahAlpha-L-arabinofuranosidase (Abf) is of big interest in various industrial areas. Directed evolution is a powerful strategy to identify significant residues underlying Abf properties. Here, six active variants from GH51 Abf of Geobacillus vulcani GS90 (GvAbf) by directed evolution were overproduced, extracted, and analyzed at biochemical and structural levels. According to the activity and thermostability results, the most-active and the least-active variants were found as GvAbf51 and GvAbf52, respectively. GvAbf63 variant was more active than parent GvAbf by 20% and less active than GvAbf51. Also, the highest thermostability belonged to GvAbf52 with 80% residual activity after 1 h. Comparative sequence and structure analyses revealed that GvAbf51 possessed L307S displacement. Thus, this study suggested that L307 residue may be critical for GvAbf activity. GvAbf63 had H30D, Q90H, and L307S displacements, and H30 was covalently bound to E29 catalytic residue. Thus, H30D may decrease the positive effect of L307S on GvAbf63 activity, preventing E29 action. Besides, GvAbf52 possessed S215N, L307S, H473P, and G476C substitutions and S215 was close to E175 (acid–base residue). S215N may partially disrupt E175 action. Overall effect of all substitutions in GvAbf52 may result in the formation of the C–C bond between C171 and C213 by becoming closer to each other.Article Citation - WoS: 1Citation - Scopus: 1Exploring the Heterogeneity of Ige-Mediated Food Allergy Through Latent Class Analysis(S. Karger AG, 2022) Akarsu, Ayşegül; Öksel Karakuş, Ceyda; Ocak, Melike; Oral, Nihan; Bilgi, Eyüp; Şahiner, Ümit Murat; Soyer, Özge; Şekerel, Bülent EnisIntroduction: Food allergy (FA) is a heterogeneous disease with multiple morbidities and a huge burden for patients and healthcare systems. Variable manifestations, comorbidities (atopic dermatitis [AD], asthma, and/or allergic rhinitis [AR]), severity (anaphylaxis), and outcomes suggest the existence of different endotypes that cluster analyses may reveal. In this study, we aimed to investigate distinct subgroups among patients with FAs using data from 524 children/adolescents. Methods: 524 patients with IgE-mediated FA (353 male [67%]; median age 4.4 years [IQR:3.0-6.8]), 354 (68%) had multiple FA. The history of AD, asthma, AR, and anaphylaxis was recorded in 59.4%, 35.5%, 24.2%, and 51.2% of the patients, respectively. Latent class analysis was carried out to distinguish clinical FA phenotypes using five potential markers of allergy severity (single/multiple FA, never/inactive/current asthma and AD, AR, and anaphylaxis). Results: Three distinct phenotypes were identified: (1) multiple FA with eczema and respiratory multimorbidity (42%), (2) multiple FA with persistent eczema (34%), and (3) single FA with respiratory multimorbidity without eczema (24%). Compared with the single FA cluster, the prevalence of AD was significantly higher in multiple FA groups. Cluster 1 had the highest frequency of AR and allergic asthma, and the lowest rate of total tolerance of FA. Discussion: We put forward the hypothesis of underlying pathogenesis according to the clinical phenotypes. While skin barrier defect may play a dominant role in the pathogenesis in Cluster 2, immune dysregulation may be dominant in Cluster 3. In Cluster 1, the most severe group, a combination of both skin barrier defects and immune dysregulation may be responsible for the clinical features.Article Citation - WoS: 25Citation - Scopus: 30Fabrication of 3d Printed Poly(lactic Acid) Strut and Wet-Electrospun Cellulose Nano Fiber Reinforced Chitosan-Collagen Hydrogel Composite Scaffolds for Meniscus Tissue Engineering(SAGE Publications, 2022) Güneş, Oylum Çolpankan; Kara, Aylin; Baysan, Gizem; Hüsemoğlu, Reşit Buğra; Akokay, Pınar; Ziylan Albayrak, Aylin; Ergür, Bekir Uğur; Havitçioğlu, HasanThe main goal of the study was to produce chitosan-collagen hydrogel composite scaffolds consisting of 3D printed poly(lactic acid) (PLA) strut and nanofibrous cellulose for meniscus cartilage tissue engineering. For this purpose, first PLA strut containing microchannels was incorporated into cellulose nanofibers and then they were embedded into chitosan-collagen matrix to obtain micro- and nano-sized topographical features for better cellular activities as well as mechanical properties. All the hydrogel composite scaffolds produced by using three different concentrations of genipin (0.1, 0.3, and 0.5%) had an interconnected microporous structure with a swelling ratio of about 400% and water content values between 77 and 83% which is similar to native cartilage extracellular matrix. The compressive strength of all the hydrogel composite scaffolds was found to be similar (∼32 kPa) and suitable for cartilage tissue engineering applications. Besides, the hydrogel composite scaffold comprising 0.3% (w/v) genipin had the highest tan δ value (0.044) at a frequency of 1 Hz which is around the walking frequency of a person. According to the in vitro analysis, this hydrogel composite scaffold did not show any cytotoxic effect on the rabbit mesenchymal stem cells and enabled cells to attach, proliferate and also migrate through the inner area of the scaffold. In conclusion, the produced hydrogel composite scaffold holds great promise for meniscus tissue engineering.Article Citation - WoS: 17Citation - Scopus: 18Development of a Hydrocolloid Bio-Ink for 3d Bioprinting(Royal Society of Chemistry, 2022) Yıldırım, Özüm; Arslan Yıldız, AhuA new generation of bio-inks that are soft, viscous enough, stable in cell culture, and printable at low printing pressures is required in the current state of 3D bioprinting technology. Hydrogels can meet these features and can mimic the microenvironment of soft tissues easily. Hydrocolloids are a group of hydrogels which have a suitable gelling capacity and rheological properties. According to the literature, polysaccharide-based hydrocolloids are used in the food industry, wound healing technologies, and tissue engineering. Quince seed hydrocolloids (QSHs), which consist of mostly glucuronoxylan, can easily be obtained from quince seeds by water extraction. In this study, the use of a QSH as a bio-ink was investigated. The suitability of QSH for the printing process was assessed by rheological, uniformity and pore factor analyses. Appropriate printing parameters were determined and the characterization of the bioprinted QSHs was performed by SEM analysis, water uptake capacity measurement, and protein adsorption assay. The bioprinted QSHs had excellent water uptake capacity and showed suitable protein adsorption behaviour. Analyses of the biocompatibility and cellular viability of bioprinted QSHs were conducted using NIH-3T3 fibroblast cells and the results were found to be high during short and long-term cell culture periods. It was proved that QSH is a highly promising bio-ink for 3D bioprinting and further tissue engineering applications.Article Citation - WoS: 8Citation - Scopus: 9Neuroprotective Metabolites Via Fungal Biotransformation of a Novel Sapogenin, Cyclocephagenol(Nature Research, 2022) Küçüksolak, Melis; Üner, Göklem; Ballar Kırmızıbayrak, Petek; Bedir, ErdalCyclocephagenol (1), a novel cycloartane-type sapogenin with tetrahydropyran unit, is only encountered in Astragalus species. This rare sapogenin has never been a topic of biological activity or modification studies. The objectives of this study were; (i) to perform microbial transformation studies on cyclocephagenol (1) using Astragalus endophyte, Alternaria eureka 1E1BL1, followed by isolation and structural characterization of the metabolites; (ii) to investigate neuroprotective activities of the metabolites; (iii) to understand structure–activity relationships towards neuroprotection. The microbial transformation of cyclocephagenol (1) using Alternaria eureka resulted in the production of twenty-one (2–22) previously undescribed metabolites. Oxidation, monooxygenation, dehydration, methyl migration, epoxidation, and ring expansion reactions were observed on the triterpenoid skeleton. Structures of the compounds were established by 1D-, 2D-NMR, and HR-MS analyses. The neuroprotective activities of metabolites and parent compound (1) were evaluated against H2O2-induced cell injury. The structure–activity relationship (SAR) was established, and the results revealed that 1 and several other metabolites had potent neuroprotective activity. Further studies revealed that selected compounds reduced the amount of ROS and preserved the integrity of the mitochondrial membrane. This is the first report of microbial transformation of cyclocephagenol.Article Citation - WoS: 7Citation - Scopus: 7Connexin 32 Overexpression Increases Proliferation, Reduces Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication, Motility and Epithelial-To Transition in Hs578t Breast Cancer Cells(Springer, 2022) Uğur, Deniz; Güngül, Taha Buğra; Yücel, Simge; Özçivici, Engin; Yalçın Özuysal, Özden; Meşe Özçivici, GülistanConnexins (Cx) are primary components of gap junctions that selectively allow molecules to be exchanged between adjacent cells, regulating multiple cellular functions. Along with their channel forming functions, connexins play a variety of roles in different stages of tumorigenesis and their roles in tumor initiation and progression is isoform- and tissue-specific. While Cx26 and Cx43 were downregulated during breast tumorigenesis, Cx32 was accumulated in the cytoplasm of the cells in lymph node metastasis of breast cancers and Cx32 was further upregulated in metastasis. Cx32's effect on cell proliferation, gap junctional communication, hemichannel activity, cellular motility and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were investigated by overexpressing Cx32 in Hs578T and MCF7 breast cancer cells. Additionally, the expression and localization of Cx26 and Cx43 upon Cx32 overexpression were examined by Western blot and immunostaining experiments, respectively. We observed that MCF7 cells had endogenous Cx32 while Hs578T cells did not and when Cx32 was overexpressed in these cells, it caused a significant increase in the percentages of Hs578T cells at the S phase in addition to increasing their proliferation. Further, while Cx32 overexpression did not induce hemichannel activity in either cell, it decreased gap junctional communication between Hs578T cells. Additionally, Cx32 was mainly observed in the cytoplasm in both cells, where it did not form gap junction plaques but Cx32 overexpression reduced Cx43 levels without affecting Cx26. Moreover, migration and invasion potentials of Hs578T and migration in MCF7 were reduced upon Cx32 overexpression. Finally, the protein level of mesenchymal marker N-cadherin decreased while epithelial marker ZO-1 and E-cadherin increased in Hs578T cells. We observed that Cx32 overexpression altered cell proliferation, communication, migration and EMT in Hs578T, suggesting a tumor suppressor role in these cells while it had minor effects on MCF7 cells.Article Citation - WoS: 12Citation - Scopus: 12Immunogenicity of a Xenogeneic Multi-Epitope Her2+ Breast Cancer Dna Vaccine Targeting the Dendritic Cell Restricted Antigen-Uptake Receptor Dec205(Elsevier, 2022) Gül, Ayten; Döşkaya, Mert; Can, Hüseyin; Karakavuk, Muhammet; Anıl İnevi, Müge; Sağlam Metiner, Pelin; Atalay Sahar, EsraBreast cancer was ranked first in global cancer incidence in 2020, and HER2 overexpression in breast cancer accounts for 20–30% of breast cancer patients. Current therapeutic strategies increase the survival rate, but resistance to them occurs frequently, and there is an urgent need to develop novel treatments such as DNA vaccines which can induce a specific and long-lasting immune response against HER2 antigens. To enhance the immunogenicity of DNA vaccines, dendritic cells (DCs) can be targeted using multi-epitope proteins that provide accurate immune focusing. For this purpose, we generated a DNA vaccine encoding a fusion protein composed of 1) in silico discovered antigenic epitopes of human and rat HER2 proteins (MeHer2) and 2) a single-chain antibody fragment (ScFv) specific for the DC-restricted antigen-uptake receptor DEC205 (ScFvDEC). The xenogeneic multi-epitope DNA vaccine (pMeHer2) encodes three only T-cell epitopes, two only B-cell epitopes, and two T and B cell epitopes, and pScFvDEC-MeHer2 vaccine additionally encodes ScFvDEC introduced at the N terminus of the MeHer2. Then, mouse groups were immunized with pScFvDEC-MeHer2, pMeHer2, pScFvDEC, pEmpty, and PBS to determine the elicited immune response. pScFvDEC-MeHer2 vaccinated mice showed a strong IgG response (P < 0.0001) and pScFvDEC-MeHer2 induced a significant IgG2a increase (P < 0.01). The percentages of both IFN-γ secreting CD4 and CD8 T cells were higher in mice immunized with pScFvDEC-MeHer2 compared with the pMeHer2. pScFvDEC-MeHer2 and pMeHer2 secreted significantly higher levels of extracellular IFN-γ compared with to control groups (P < 0.0001). In addition, the IFN-γ level of the pScFvDEC-MeHer2 vaccine group was approximately two times higher than the pMeHer2 group (P < 0.0001). Overall, this study identified the pScFvDECMeHer2 construct as a potential DNA vaccine candidate, supporting further studies to be conducted on HER2+ animal models.Article Citation - WoS: 69Citation - Scopus: 73Nanoparticle-Protein Corona Complex: Understanding Multiple Interactions Between Environmental Factors, Corona Formation, and Biological Activity(Taylor & Francis, 2021) Öksel Karakuş, Ceyda; Tomak, Aysel; Çeşmeli, Selin; Hanoğlu, Berçem Dilan; Winkler, DavidThe surfaces of pristine nanoparticles become rapidly coated by proteins in biological fluids, forming the so-called protein corona. The corona modifies key physicochemical characteristics of nanoparticle surfaces that modulate its biological and pharmacokinetic activity, biodistribution, and safety. In the two decades since the protein corona was identified, the importance of nano particles surface properties in regulating biological responses have been recognized. However, there is still a lack of clarity about the relationships between physiological conditions and cor ona composition over time, and how this controls biological activities/interactions. Here we review recent progress in characterizing the structure and composition of protein corona as a function of biological fluid and time. We summarize the influence of nanoparticle characteristics on protein corona composition and discuss the relevance of protein corona to the biological activity and fate of nanoparticles. The aim is to provide a critical summary of the key factors that affect protein corona formation (e.g. characteristics of nanoparticles and biological environ ment) and how the corona modulates biological activity, cellular uptake, biodistribution, and drug delivery. In addition to a discussion on the importance of the characterization of protein corona adsorbed on nanoparticle surfaces under conditions that mimic relevant physiological environment, we discuss the unresolved technical issues related to the characterization of nano particle-protein corona complexes during their journey in the body. Lastly, the paper offers a perspective on how the existing nanomaterial toxicity data obtained from in vitro studies should be reconsidered in the light of the presence of a protein corona, and how recent advances in fields, such as proteomics and machine learning can be integrated into the quantitative analysis of protein corona components.