Molecular Imprinting Technology (MIT) is a technique to design artificial receptors with a predetermined selectivity and specificity for a given analyte, which can be used as ideal materials in various application fields. Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs), the polymeric matrices obtained using the imprinting technology, are robust molecular recognition elements able to mimic natural recognition entities, such as antibodies and biological receptors, useful to separate and analyze complicated samples such as biological fluids and environmental samples. The scope of this review is to provide a general overview on MIPs field discussing first general aspects in MIP preparation and then dealing with various application aspects. This review aims to outline the molecularly imprinted process and present a summary of principal application fields of molecularly imprinted polymers, focusing on chemical sensing, separation science, drug delivery and catalysis. Some significant aspects about preparation and application of the molecular imprinting polymers with examples taken from the recent literature will be discussed. Theoretical and experimental parameters for MIPs design in terms of the interaction between template and polymer functionalities will be considered and synthesis methods for the improvement of MIP recognition properties will also be presented.

Anthocyanins extracted from the berries of Phillyrea latifolia L., Pistacia lentiscus L., and Rubia peregrina L., three evergreen shrubs widely distributed in the Mediterranean area, were examined for their antioxidant and anticancer activity. The P. lentiscus anthocyanins showed the highest H 2 O 2 and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil radical scavenging effects, indicating that these compounds can be considered as an alternative source of natural antioxidants for food and pharmaceutical products. Here, we also report a novel function of anthocyanins: the induction of autophagy, a process of subcellular turnover involved in carcinogenesis. Autophagy was characterized by the up-regulation of eIF2A, an autophagy inducer, and down-regulation of mTOR and Bcl-2, two autophagy inhibitors. This led to the enhanced expression of LC3-II, an autophagosome marker in mammals, and monodansylcadaverine incorporation into autolysosomes. Anthocyanin-induced autophagy switched to apoptosis, as shown by the activation of Bax, cytochrome c and caspase 3, terminal deoxynucleotide transferase -mediated dUTP nick-end labeling -positive fragmented nuclei, and cells with sub-G 1 DNA content, which were prevented by z-VAD. Inhibition of autophagy by either 3-methyladenine or Atg5 small interfering RNA enhanced anthocyanintriggered apoptosis. This provided evidence that autophagy functions as a survival mechanism in liver cancer cells against anthocyanin-induced apoptosis and a rationale for the use of autophagy inhibitors in combination with dietary chemopreventive agents. [Mol Cancer Ther 2008;7(8):2476 -85]

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