Quantitative assessment of specific carbonic anhydrase inhibitors effect on hypoxic cells using electrical impedance assays

Carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) is an important orchestrator of hypoxic tumour environment, associated with tumour progression, high incidence of metastasis and poor response to therapy. Due to its tumour specificity and involvement in associated pathological processes: tumourigenesis, angiogenesis, inhibiting CA IX enzymatic activity has become a valid therapeutic option. Dynamic cell-based biosensing platforms can complement cell-free and end-point analyses and supports the process of design and selection of potent and selective inhibitors. In this context, we assess the effectiveness of recently emerged CA IX inhibitors (sulphonamides and sulphocoumarins) and their antitumour potential using an electrical impedance spectroscopy biosensing platform. The analysis allows discriminating between the inhibitory capacities of the compounds and their inhibition mechanisms. Microscopy and biochemical assays complemented the analysis and validated impedance findings establishing a powerful biosensing tool for the evaluation of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors potency, effective for the screening and design of anticancer pharmacological agents.     

Correlations between the activities of semen acid phosphatase and Ca(2+)-dependent ATPase and age in different breeds of cocks.

1. The present work aims to find a biochemical criterion for evaluating the evolution of sperm according to age through the study of the ATPase activity from the spermatozoa and the acid phosphatase from the seminal plasma of cocks from three different breeds. 2. The optimal parameters of action of the cock semen acid phosphatase and the Ca(2+)-dependent ATPase from the spermatozoa were studied. 3. The substrate specificity of the semen acid phosphatase and its inhibition by tartrate, fluoride, metavanadate, molybdate and Hg2+ were also studied. 4. The two enzymes were determined from the Sussex, Golden Cornish and Plymouth Rock breeds at different ages. 5. The data lead to the conclusion that some properties of bird spermatozoa are less influenced by breed while the acid phosphatase activity, secreted in the ductus deferens is a breed characteristic.