Polysaccharides

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14 pages, 7464 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Auricularia Auricula Polysaccharide-Mediated Green Synthesis of Highly Stable Au NPs

by Haoqiang Liu, Liyu Gu, Yuanzhen Ye and Minwei Zhang

Polysaccharides 2024, 5(4), 643-655; https://doi.org/10.3390/polysaccharides5040041 - 2 Nov 2024

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Polysaccharide-functionalized gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) exhibit a promising application in biomedical fields due to their excellent stability and functional properties. The Au NPs from Auricularia auricula polysaccharide (AAP) were successfully synthesized using a straightforward method. By controlling the mass fraction of AAP, pH, [...] Read more.

Polysaccharide-functionalized gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) exhibit a promising application in biomedical fields due to their excellent stability and functional properties. The Au NPs from Auricularia auricula polysaccharide (AAP) were successfully synthesized using a straightforward method. By controlling the mass fraction of AAP, pH, reaction temperature, reaction time, and concentration of gold precursor, the highly dispersed spherical AAP-functionalized Au NPs (AAP-Au NPs) were prepared. The Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicated that the synthesis mechanism of AAP-Au NPs was as follows: the molecular chain of AAP undergoes a glycosidic bond breakage to expose the reduction terminus in the presence of gold precursor, which reduced Au(III) to Au(0), and itself was oxidized to carboxylate compounds for maintaining the stability of AAP-Au NPs. Additionally, based on the electrostatic interactions and steric forces, as-prepared AAP-Au NPs exhibit excellent stability at various pH (5–11), temperature (25–60 °C), 5 mmol/L glutathione, and 0.1 mol/L Na⁺ and K⁺ solutions. Furthermore, AAP-Au NPs retained the ability to scavenge DDPH and ABTS radicals, which is expected to expand the application of Au NPs in biomedical fields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Latest Research on Polysaccharides: Structure and Applications)

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13 pages, 9398 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Can Chitosan Be Depolymerized by Thermal Shock?

by Ana C. S. Gomes, Lázaro J. Gasparrini, Glaucia R. M. Burin and Helton J. Alves

Polysaccharides 2024, 5(4), 630-642; https://doi.org/10.3390/polysaccharides5040040 - 30 Oct 2024

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Abstract

Chitosan is a biopolymer with a wide range of applications. It typically requires depolymerization to achieve a desired molecular weight for specific uses. This study investigated the potential for depolymerizing chitosan by thermal shock and grinding to produce nanochitosan. A series of thermal [...] Read more.

Chitosan is a biopolymer with a wide range of applications. It typically requires depolymerization to achieve a desired molecular weight for specific uses. This study investigated the potential for depolymerizing chitosan by thermal shock and grinding to produce nanochitosan. A series of thermal shock cycles combined with grinding were performed to assess the influence of drying temperature, residence time, and number of thermal cycles on the molecular weight, particle size, and crystallinity of chitosan. The thermal shock reduced the molecular weight and particle size of chitosan within the first hour of treatment, with optimal conditions achieved at a drying temperature of 90 °C and residence time inside the oven of 5 min. These conditions resulted in a molecular weight of 15.0 kDa with an average diameter of 136 nm. Thermal shock can be considered an effective method for chitosan depolymerization with grinding serving to standardize the particle size. This optimized process offers promising applications where low-molecular-weight chitosan is required, including biomedical, agricultural, and food industries, as well as the potential for reducing time and energy consumption. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Latest Research on Polysaccharides: Structure and Applications)

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21 pages, 5672 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hydrogen Bond Integration in Potato Microstructure: Effects of Water Removal, Thermal Treatment, and Cooking Techniques

by Iman Dankar, Amira Haddarah, Montserrat Pujolà and Francesc Sepulcre

Polysaccharides 2024, 5(4), 609-629; https://doi.org/10.3390/polysaccharides5040039 - 11 Oct 2024

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Abstract

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to study the effects of heat treatments and water removal by freeze-drying after different time intervals (6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h) on the molecular structure of potato [...] Read more.

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to study the effects of heat treatments and water removal by freeze-drying after different time intervals (6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h) on the molecular structure of potato tubers. SEM images show structural differences between raw (RP), microwaved (MP), and boiled potato (BP). MP showed a cracked structure. BP was able to re-associate into a granule-like structure after 6 h of freeze-dying, whereas RP had dried granules within a porous matrix after 24 h of freeze-drying. These results are consistent with the moisture content and FTIR results for MP and BP, which demonstrated dried spectra after 6 h of freeze-drying and relatively coincided with RP results after 24 h of freeze-drying. Additionally, three types of hydrogen bonds have been characterized between water and starch, and the prevalence of water very weakly bound to starch has also been detected. The relative crystallinity (RC) was increased by thermal treatment, whereby microwaving recorded the highest value. A comparison of the FTIR and XRD results indicated that freeze-drying treatment overcomes heat effects to generate an integral starch molecule. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Latest Research on Polysaccharides: Structure and Applications)

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18 pages, 2885 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Degree of Substitution and Molecular Weight on Transfection Efficacy of Starch-Based siRNA Delivery System

by Amir Regev, Chen Benafsha, Riki Goldbart, Tamar Traitel, Moshe Elkabets and Joseph Kost

Polysaccharides 2024, 5(4), 580-597; https://doi.org/10.3390/polysaccharides5040037 - 7 Oct 2024

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Abstract

RNA interference (RNAi) is a promising approach for gene therapy in cancers, but it requires carriers to protect and deliver therapeutic small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules to cancerous cells. Starch-based carriers, such as quaternized starch (Q-Starch), have been shown to be biocompatible and [...] Read more.

RNA interference (RNAi) is a promising approach for gene therapy in cancers, but it requires carriers to protect and deliver therapeutic small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules to cancerous cells. Starch-based carriers, such as quaternized starch (Q-Starch), have been shown to be biocompatible and are able to form nanocomplexes with siRNA, but significant electrostatic interactions between the carrier and siRNA prevent its release at the target site. In this study, we aim to characterize the effects of the degree of substitution (DS) and molecular weight (Mw) of Q-Starch on the gene silencing capabilities of the Q-Starch/siRNA transfection system. We show that reducing the DS reduces the electrostatic interactions between Q-Starch and siRNA, which now decomplex at more physiologically relevant conditions, but also affects additional parameters such as complex size while mostly maintaining cellular uptake capabilities. Notably, reducing the DS renders Q-Starch more susceptible to enzymatic degradation by α-amylase during the initial Q-Starch pretreatment. Enzymatic cleavage leads to a reduction in the Mw of Q-Starch, resulting in a 25% enhancement in its transfection capabilities. This study provides a better understanding of the effects of the DS and Mw on the polysaccharide-based siRNA delivery system and indicates that the polysaccharide Mw may be the key factor in determining the transfection efficacy of this system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Latest Research on Polysaccharides: Structure and Applications)

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12 pages, 2991 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing Gelatine Hydrogel Robustness with Sacran-Aldehyde: A Natural Cross-Linker Approach

by Maninder Singh, Alisha Debas, Gargi Joshi, Maiko Kaneko Okajima, Robin Rajan, Kazuaki Matsumura and Tatsuo Kaneko

Polysaccharides 2024, 5(3), 320-331; https://doi.org/10.3390/polysaccharides5030021 - 1 Aug 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 923

Abstract

Tunable hydrogels have gained significant attention in the bioengineering field due to their designer preparation approach. Towards this end, gelatine stands out as a promising candidate owing to its desirable attributes, such as biocompatibility, ability to support cell adhesion and proliferation, biodegradability, and [...] Read more.

Tunable hydrogels have gained significant attention in the bioengineering field due to their designer preparation approach. Towards this end, gelatine stands out as a promising candidate owing to its desirable attributes, such as biocompatibility, ability to support cell adhesion and proliferation, biodegradability, and cost-effectiveness. This study presents the preparation of a robust gelatine hydrogel employing sacran aldehyde (SDA) as a natural cross-linker. The resulting SDA-cross-linked gelatine hydrogels (GSDA) display an optimal compressive stress of 0.15 MPa at 50% strain, five times higher than pure gelatine hydrogel. As SDA cross-linking concentration is increased, the swelling capacity of GSDA declines. This decline in swelling capacity, from 80% to 40%, is a result of strong crosslinking of gelatin with SDA. Probing further with FT-IR spectroscopy and SEM at the micron scale unveiled a dual-cross-linking mechanism within the hydrogels. This mechanism encompasses both short- and long-range covalent cross-linking, along with thermo-induced physical cross-linking, resulting in a significant enhancement of the load-bearing capacity of the fabricated hydrogels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Latest Research on Polysaccharides: Structure and Applications)

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16 pages, 3472 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Physicochemical and Spectroscopic Characterization of Glycogen and Glycogen Phosphorylase b Complexes

by Pandora Karakousi, Maria Karayianni, Evangelia D. Chrysina and Stergios Pispas

Polysaccharides 2024, 5(3), 225-240; https://doi.org/10.3390/polysaccharides5030017 - 7 Jul 2024

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Abstract

Glycogen is a natural polysaccharide used as an energy storage macromolecule. The role of glycogen metabolism in type 2 diabetes mellitus has been under investigation for several years, along with its implication in cancer and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Previous studies using pig [...] Read more.

Glycogen is a natural polysaccharide used as an energy storage macromolecule. The role of glycogen metabolism in type 2 diabetes mellitus has been under investigation for several years, along with its implication in cancer and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Previous studies using pig liver glycogen with rabbit muscle glycogen phosphorylase (RMGPb), which catalyzes the first step of glycogen degradation to glucose-1-phosphate, showed that the surface of an average glycogen molecule is covered by a total of 20 RMGPb dimeric molecules. In this work, we selected oyster glycogen (Glyc) to investigate its interaction with RMGPb by employing biophysical techniques. Dynamic, static, and electrophoretic light scattering were used to investigate the solution behaviors and structures of both the Glyc molecule itself and the formed complexes between Glyc and GPb at different mixing ratios. It was established that the interaction between oyster Glyc and RMGPb is similar to that previously reported for pig liver glycogen. Moreover, the structure of the complexed GPb was monitored by fluorescence and FTIR spectroscopy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Latest Research on Polysaccharides: Structure and Applications)

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14 pages, 2674 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Graft Copolymers of Carboxymethyl Cellulose and Poly(N-vinylimidazole) as Promising Carriers for Metronidazole

by Maria S. Lavlinskaya, Anastasia A. Mikhaylova, Egor I. Kuznetsov, Ivan A. Zhuravlev, Nikita A. Balbekov, Igor A. Saranov and Andrey V. Sorokin

Polysaccharides 2024, 5(3), 198-211; https://doi.org/10.3390/polysaccharides5030015 - 4 Jul 2024

Viewed by 3542

Abstract

Carboxymethyl cellulose sodium salt is a common water-soluble derivative of cellulose. It serves as a bioinert mucoadhesive material extensively used in biomedicine, particularly for crafting targeted drug delivery systems. In our study, we demonstrate that graft copolymers of sodium carboxymethyl-cellulose with poly(N [...] Read more.

Carboxymethyl cellulose sodium salt is a common water-soluble derivative of cellulose. It serves as a bioinert mucoadhesive material extensively used in biomedicine, particularly for crafting targeted drug delivery systems. In our study, we demonstrate that graft copolymers of sodium carboxymethyl-cellulose with poly(N-vinylimidazole) can function as carriers for the antibacterial drug metronidazole. Non-covalent associations form between the components, excluding the involvement of the nitro groups of the drug in the interaction. These loaded copolymers exhibit the capability to release the drug under conditions mimicking the stomach environment for up to 48 h. This renders the obtained associations promising candidates for the development of a metronidazole-targeted delivery system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Latest Research on Polysaccharides: Structure and Applications)

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17 pages, 5600 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bead-Free Electrospun Nanofibrous Scaffold Made of PVOH/Keratin/Chitosan Using a Box–Behnken Experimental Design and In Vitro Studies

by Mohammad Tajul Islam, Afsana Al Sharmin, Raechel Laing, Michelle McConnell and M. Azam Ali

Polysaccharides 2024, 5(2), 112-128; https://doi.org/10.3390/polysaccharides5020009 - 1 May 2024

Viewed by 1203

Abstract

Bead-free nanofibrous scaffolds composed of PVOH/keratin/chitosan were prepared using electrospinning after optimising the process parameters using a Box–Behnken experimental design. Two quadratic models were developed to optimise the fibre diameter and the diameter of fibre beads considering the voltage, flow rate, spinning distance, [...] Read more.

Bead-free nanofibrous scaffolds composed of PVOH/keratin/chitosan were prepared using electrospinning after optimising the process parameters using a Box–Behnken experimental design. Two quadratic models were developed to optimise the fibre diameter and the diameter of fibre beads considering the voltage, flow rate, spinning distance, and amount of biopolymer as independent variables. All independent variables were found to be significant in determining responses, although not all interactions among these were significant. The models were highly effective in describing responses, with an R² of 98.58 and 99.67%. The optimum conditions were determined to be 15.82 kV voltage, 0.25 mL/h flow rate, 105 mm spinning distance, and 30% biopolymers. The accuracy of the models was verified and found to be within an acceptable range. The bead-free nanofibrous scaffold exhibited no cytotoxicity to Human Aneuploid Immortal Keratinocyte (HaCaT) and Normal Human Dermal Fibroblast (NHDF) cell lines, enabling cell adhesion and proliferation. Both cell lines remained attached with perfect cell morphology when co-cultured on the scaffold for 30 days, indicating the scaffold’s potential for biomedical applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Latest Research on Polysaccharides: Structure and Applications)

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