The presented diploma thesis is focused on the study of composition and biological effects of some super-foods. Theoretical part deals with basic information about chosen superfoods and their bioactive substances. Further, theoretical part describes the overview of vesicular systems used for encapsulation and the most common methods of particle characterization. A brief review of cell cultures and cultivation of human cells is presented as well as methods for cytotoxicity a genotoxicity testing. In the experimental section, aqueous and ethanol extracts of super-foods were prepared. These extracts were then encapsulated into liposomal and combined PHB particles. Super-food extracts were characterized by spectrophotometrical methods in order to determine the content of polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, carotenes, chlorophyll, tannins, and antioxidant activity. The physico-chemical characteristics of prepared liposomal and combined particles were determined too. The particles with encapsulated extracts were further tested using the MTT assay and SOS chromotest to describe their potential cytotoxic and genotoxic effects.

Tato práce představuje pilotní studii testující souvislosti mezi biologickými vlastnostmi a strukturou huminových kyselin extrahovaných z původního a modifikovaného jihomoravského lignitu, důl Mír, Mikulčice. V první části práce byly testovány metody vhodné ke zvýšení výtěžku huminových kyselin extrahovaných z lignitu. Oxidace lignitu v plynné fázi nepřinesla uspokojivé zvýšení výtěžku a byla instrumentálně poměrně náročná. Dále proto byla zkoumána jen oxidace v kapalné fázi a modifikace nízkomolekulárními organickými kyselinami. Modifikace organickými kyselinami byla inspirována procesy podporujícími biologické funkce v rizosféře, t.j. kořenový systém vylučuje exudáty způsobující změny v supramolekulové struktuře okolní organické hmoty čímž zlepšuje její mobilitu a prostupnost buněčnými stěnami. Primární struktura huminových kyselin připravených v této práci byla zkoumána prostřednictvím elementární analýzy a spektrálních metod (13C CPMAS NMR, EPR a UV-VIS spektroskopie). Navzdory tomu, že primární struktura vykazovala jen malé rozdíly, měření biologické aktivity a genotoxického potenciálu prokázalo, že huminové kyseliny a jejich humáty získané z lignitu s rozdílnou předúpravou vykazují odlišnou bioaktivitu. Proto byla dále zkoumána supramolekulární struktura vzorků ve zředěných roztocích, a to prostřednictvím vysokoúčinné vylučovací chromatografie, měření ultrazvukové rychlosti a hustoty. Testovány byly dva různé protionty – draselný a amonný. Získané výsledky potvrdily předpoklad, že pozorované změny v kvalitě humátů jsou závislé na protiiontu, koncentraci humátu v roztoku a také na metodě předúpravy původního lignitu. Obě zvolené metody předúpravy lignitu prokázaly svůj potenciál produkovat huminové kyseliny s rozmanitými biologickými vlastnostmi, aplikovatelné v zemědělství, životním prostředí a potenciálně i ve farmakologii.

The presented doctoral thesis is focused on preparation of nanoparticles and nanofibers with natural active ingredient and testing their biological effects. Modern types of application forms were prepared from biomaterials based on one or more natural polymers. Chitosan particles were prepared from cross-linked polymer using ultrasonication. A mixture of soy lecithin and cholesterol was used for preparation of liposomes. Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate was used for preparation of combined liposomes, too. All liposome particles were prepared by ultrasonication. Nanofibers were obtained from polyhydroxybutyrate using electrospinning. Mixtures of low-molecular antioxidants obtained by extraction from natural sources were used as active ingredients. Different types of teas, barks, herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables were selected as sources of natural antioxidants. Total phenolic and flavonoid content and total antioxidant activity of extracts were determined using spectrophotometrical methods. Obtained natural extracts were subsequently used for encapsulation. Prepared application forms were characterized in terms of their physicochemical properties. Particle size was monitored by dynamic light scattering. Colloidal stability of particles in suspension was determined using zeta potential. Spectrophotometry was used to evaluate the efficiency of encapsulation of active compounds into particles. The morphology of the new type of combined PHB liposomes was monitored by electron microscopy. Chromatography was used for quantification of individual components of particles. Morphology of nanofibers and incorporation of active agent into their structure were monitored using FTIR-ATR spectroscopy and electron microscopy. Afterwards, antimicrobial, cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of preparations were evaluated. It was found that the most suitable types of extracts for liposome preparation are aqueous and lipid extracts of natural antioxidants. Prepared particles showed excellent stability and good encapsulation efficiency. The study confirmed that incorporation of polydroxybutyrate into liposome structure does not reduce neither the colloidal stability of the particle, nor the efficiency of encapsulation process. Antimicrobial and antimycotic effect of preparations against model microorganisms Micrococcus lutues, Serratia marcescens and Candida glabrata was detected. It was found that process of encapsulation increases the inhibitory effect of natural extracts of antioxidants. The safety of preparations was assessed using two human cell cultures: epidermal keratinocytes and HaCaT cell line. Assays of cell viability and plasma membrane integrity were used to determine cytotoxicity of preparations. Low toxicity of liposome particles was confirmed by a series of cytotoxic tests. Obtained data showed that association of phospholipid with PHB polymer does not cause a significant increase in cytotoxicity in human skin cells. Genotoxicity testing on model procaryotic organism confirmed zero genotoxic potential of preparations. The new type of combined particles and polymeric fibers cant thus be used as a carrier for active ingredients, complex natural extracts, antimicrobial agents and many others.

DNA damage response is a complex system responsible for protection of a cell against internal and external DNA damaging agents and in maintaining genome integrity. Many of genes participating in DNA damage response pathways are polymorphic. Genetic polymorphisms in coding and regulatory regions may have impact on the function of proteins encoded by the genes. Phenotypic effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) is subject of investigation in connection with the ability of a cell to manage genotoxic stress and subsequently, in relation to cancer susceptibility. The aim of this thesis was to evaluate the association between SNPs in DNA repair genes (hOGG1, XRCC1, XPC) and cell cycle genes (TP53, p21CDKN1A , BCL2 and BAX) and their mRNA expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes from individuals occupationally exposed to styrene and control individuals. The aim was extended to analyses of relationships between mRNA expression levels of the above-mentioned genes and markers of exposure to styrene (concentration of styrene in blood and in air), markers of DNA damage (single strand breaks - SSBs, and endonuclease III specific sites - Endo III sites) and the base excision repair (BER) capacity, by means of γ-irradiation specific DNA repair rates and oxidative repair. Study on the group of healthy...

This thesis deals with the application of BEAS-2B cell line for micronucleus assay in genetic toxicology. It is divided into two main parts: a) theoretical introduction to the analysis and search for suitable models for testing the impact of air pollution and manufactured nanoparticles, b) practical part that describes the results of micronuclei induction by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), extractable organic matter (EOM) from diesel exhaust particles obtained from emissions of three types of fuel and engineered nanoparticles. BEAS-2B cell line is a nonmalignant human model of lung epithelium which seems to be suitable for micronucleus assay. This assay is commonly used for determining the genotoxicity of various substances to wide variety of cell cultures and also in human studies. In this thesis, the following substances were tested: benzo[a]pyrene, 3-nitrobenzanthrone and 1-nitropyrene as carcinogenic PAHs commonly found in polluted air; EOMs from exhaust particles of 100 % diesel fuel, a blend of diesel fuel and 30 % of biodiesel, 100 % biodiesel and two types of engineered nanoparticles (TiO2 and Ag). The cells were treated with the compounds for 28, 48 and 72 hours. The results confirm the suitability of BEAS-2B cell line as a model for testing the genotoxicity of substances under...

The main aim of this work was to compare the genotoxicity of organic extracts from different size fractions of aerosol particles (1-10 µm, 0,5-1 µm, 0,17-0,5 µm) collected by high volume cascade impactors in various localities of the Czech Republic differing in the extent of the environmental pollution (Březno - strip mine, Dobré Štěstí - highway, Praha - city center, Láz - background station). Genotoxicity was determined in acellular assay of calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) with and without S9 metabolic activation by analysis of DNA adducts induced by extractable organic matter (EOM) from the particulate matter (PM) by 32 P-postlabeling and the ability of extracts to induce oxidative DNA damage was evaluated using the competitive ELISA test. The main finding of this work is that most of the observed genotoxicity is connected with fine particles (<1 µm). The concentration of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (c-PAHs) in EOMs indicate that fine fractions bound the highest amount of c-PAHs in all sampling sites. This fact might be related to a higher specific surface of this fraction as compared with a course fraction and a higher mass as compared with a condensational fraction. As for aerosol mass, both fine and condensational fractions are effective carriers of c-PAHs. Similarly, the DNA...