DKCandBP / Laboratory of Molecular Biology

The laboratory conducts research on molecular and cellular biology.

We use cells of tumor and non-tumor origin:

• Vero – African green monkey kidney epithelial cells
• FetMSC – mesenchymal stem cells from the bone marrow of a 5-6 week old human embryo
• A431 – human epidermoid carcinoma
• MCF-7 – human breast adenocarcinoma
• BT-20 – invasive hormone-independent carcinoma of the ducts of the human breast
• BT-474 – invasive hormone-dependent erbb2-amplifying ductal carcinoma of the human breast
• Hs578T – human breast carcinosarcoma
• HepG2 – human hepatocellular carcinoma
• Caco2 – human colon adenocarcinoma
• A-172 – human glioblastoma
• PANC-1 – human pancreatic duct adenocarcinoma
• M-HeLa – adenocarcinoma of the human cervix
• PA-1 – human ovarian teratocarcinoma
• HEK-Blue™-hNOD2 – HEK293 cells containing the hNOD2 gene and NOD2-regulated secreted alkaline phosphatase reporter gene

Main research areas:

1. Cytotoxic properties and antitumor potential of chemical compounds.

Study of toxicity of chemical compounds and supramolecular systems to cells of tumor and non-tumor origin. The cytotoxic properties of various platinum complexes, iron nitrosyl complexes, phthalocyanines, C60 fullerene derivatives, polymer nanoparticles, chitosan-based nanoparticles, medicinal plant extracts, etc., have been recently studied.

2. Antibacterial properties of chemical compounds.

Study of bacteriostatic and bactericidal properties of chemical compounds and their ability to suppress the formation of bacterial biofilms. The antibacterial properties of a number of iron nitrosyl complexes and analogs of octenidine have been recently studied.

3. Mechanisms of the cellular response to the cytotoxic effect of chemical compounds.

Study of the effect of chemical compounds on the cell cycle profile, on the activity of cell death processes including caspase activity, externalization of phosphatidylserine, decrease of the membrane potential of mitochondria, expression and activity of transcription factors p53, NF-kB, Nrf2, and their target genes, formation of reactive oxygen species, activity of enzymes and genes of the antioxidant system, etc. The mechanisms of cellular response to the action of a number of platinum complexes, iron nitrosyl complexes and phthalocyanines have been recently studied.

4. Nanoparticles based on amphiphilic copolymers and chitosans as targeted drug delivery platforms.

Study of intracellular accumulation and cytotoxicity of nanoparticles carrying antitumor compounds. Various nanoscale systems based on amphiphilic copolymers loaded with platinum complexes and doxorubicin, as well as chitosan nanoparticles modified with nitroxide radicals carrying daunorubicin have been recently studied.

5. Regulation of the antioxidant system under the action of cytotoxic compounds and in the development of drug resistance.

Investigation of the activity of genes and enzymes of the antioxidant system, the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress products under the action of cytotoxic compounds. Study of the activity of genes and enzymes of the antioxidant system in the development of drug resistance. The processes of activation of the antioxidant system in tumor and non-tumor cells under the action of platinum complexes have been recently studied. The activity of different genes of antioxidant system in P388 leukemia strains resistant to cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, and rubomycin was recently studied.

6. Inhibitors of metalloenzymes - histone deacetylases and metalloproteinases.

Investigation of the inhibitory activity of chemical compounds with a zinc-binding group on the activity of metalloenzymes, study of their cytotoxic properties and their effect on the cell cycle and the cell death in combination with antitumor drugs.