Elastic and recoverable sponges based on collagen/yeast β-glucan for quick hemostasis.

In this investigation, we aimed to engineer sponges with exceptional mechanical and hemostatic capabilities for effective wound healing. By combining collagen, a stiff fibril protein in ECM, with β-glucan, an elastic and triple-helical polysaccharide from yeast cell wall, we prepared a series of composite sponges, designated as CY sponges. This material exhibited a uniform pore structure, displaying enhanced elasticity and shape recovery ability compared to pure collagen sponges.

Collagen/Curdlan composite sponge for rapid hemostasis and skin wound healing.

Collagen's unique properties promise hemostatic potential, but its sponge form's stability and mechanics need improvement. In this study, we developed a series of homeostatic sponges by co-assembling collagen and curdlan at different ratios into hydrogels, followed by freeze-drying treatment. The incorporation of curdlan into collagen sponges has been found to significantly enhance the sponge's properties, including increased porosity, elevated water uptake, improved elasticity, and enhanced resistance to degradation.

Self-Assembling Gelatin-Curdlan Fibril Hydrogels for Oriented Neural Cell Growth.

The replication of the highly helical and fibril structures of load-bearing soft tissue is a challenging goal for the study of hydrogels. Inspired by nature, we prepared tissue-like physical gels based on curdlan and gelatin by self-assembly. The hybrid gels have a flexible fibril-matrix architecture, and the fibril orientation is highly tunable.

Preparation and Characterization of Gluten/SDS/Chitosan Composite Hydrogel Based on Hydrophobic and Electrostatic Interactions.

Gluten is a natural byproduct derived from wheat starch, possessing ideal biocompatibility. However, its poor mechanical properties and heterogeneous structure are not suitable for cell adhesion in biomedical applications. To resolve the issues, we prepare novel gluten (G)/sodium lauryl sulfate (SDS)/chitosan (CS) composite hydrogels by electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions.

Extraction and Characterization of Pepsin- and Acid-Soluble Collagen from the Swim Bladders of .

There is a growing demand for the identification of alternative sources of collagen not derived from land-dwelling animals. The present study explored the use of pepsin- and acid-based extraction protocols to isolate collagen from the swim bladders of . After extraction, these acid-soluble collagen (ASC) and pepsin-soluble collagen (PSC) samples respectively were subjected to spectral analyses and sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) characterization, revealing both to be comprised of type I collagen with a triple-helical structure.

Macrophage-Targeted Berberine-Loaded β-Glucan Nanoparticles Enhance the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis.

Aim: This study focuses on constructing of an anti-inflammatory drug delivery system by encapsulation of berberine in the β-glucan nanoparticles and evaluates its effect on treating ulcerative colitis.

Methods: β-Glucan and the anti-inflammatory drug berberine (BER) are self-assembled into nanoparticles to construct a drug delivery system (GLC/BER). The interaction between the drug and the carrier was characterized by circular dichroism, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and dynamic light scattering.

Cell membrane-camouflaged DOX-loaded β-glucan nanoparticles for highly efficient cancer immunochemotherapy.

Biomimetics plays an important role in cancer treatment since it can prolong the circulation of nanoparticles, enhance their delivery and retention in target tissues, and reduce the systemic toxicity of drugs and their carriers. In this study, we developed a biomimetic nanosystem consisting of chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic agents wrapped in cell membranes. Specifically, the anti-tumor drug doxorubicin (DOX) was loaded into a bacterial-derived immunomodulatory agent (low molecular weight curdlan, lCUR), and the lCUR-DOX was further wrapped in the red blood cell membrane for camouflage and prolonged circulation.

Single-helical formyl β-glucan effectively deliver CpG DNA with poly(dA) to macrophages for enhanced vaccine effects.

Single helical β-glucan is a one-dimensional host that can form a hybrid helix with DNAs/RNAs as delivery systems. However, unmodified β-glucan has a gelling tendency and a single helical conformation is challenging to obtain. Therefore, in this study, we developed a β-glucan formyl derivative with stable single helical conformation and no gelling tendency.

Laminarin acetyl esters: Synthesis, conformational analysis and anti-viral effects.

Chemical modification of polysaccharides is important for expanding their applications and gaining new insights into their structure-property relationships. Here we reported the synthesis, characterization, and anti-viral activities of laminarin acetyl derivatives. The chemical structure and chain conformation of acetylated laminarin were characterized by FT-IR, H NMR, AFM, UV-vis spectrum, and induced circular dichroism based on a modified Congo Red assay (ICD-CR assay).

Antifracture, Antibacterial, and Anti-inflammatory Hydrogels Consisting of Silver-Embedded Curdlan Nanofibrils.

The bacterial exopolysaccharide Curdlan has a unique collagen-like triple helical structure and immune-modulation activities. Although there have been several types of Curdlan gels reported for antibacterial or wound healing purposes, none of them exhibit favorable mechanical properties for clinically applicable wound healing materials. Herein, we present a two-step approach for preparing Ag-embedded Curdlan hydrogels that are highly soft but are very stretchable compared with common polysaccharide-based hydrogels.

Proangiogenic Peptide Nanofiber Hydrogels for Wound Healing.

Rapid vascularization is vital for dermal regeneration, nutrient and nutrition transfer, metabolic waste removal, and prevention of infection. This study reports on a series of proangiogenic peptides designed to undergo self-assembly and promote angiogenesis and hence skin regeneration. The proangiogenic peptides comprised an angiogenic peptide segment, GEETEVTVEGLEPG, and a β-sheet structural peptide sequence.

Chiral Active β-Glucan Nanoparticles for Synergistic Delivery of Doxorubicin and Immune Potentiation.

Background: β-glucans are chiral polysaccharides with well-defined immunological properties and supramolecular wrapping ability of its chiral feature. However, the exploitation of chiral properties of these nanoparticles in drug delivery systems was seldom conducted.

Methods: β-glucan molecules with different chain lengths were extracted from yeast and thereafter modified.

Berberine-Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers Enhance the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis.

Purpose: Berberine (BBR), a major ingredient extracted from , is a natural drug with limited oral bioavailability. We developed nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) as a delivery system for enhanced anti-inflammatory activity of BBR against ulcerative colitis (UC).

Methods: BBR-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (BBR-NLCs) prepared via high-pressure homogenization were evaluated for particle size, zeta potential, drug entrapment efficiency, drug loading, drug release, toxicity, and cellular uptake.

Preparation and biological evaluation of a novel agarose-grafting-hyaluronan scaffold for accelerated wound regeneration.

At present, seeking an effective dressing for wound regeneration has drawn considerable interest. In this paper, a novel agarose-grafting-hyaluronan (Ag-g-HA) scaffold was synthesized for rapid wound healing. Elemental analysis results showed that the HA grafting rate of Ag-g-HA was ∼69%.

Dynamic and Hierarchically Structured Networks with Tissue-like Mechanical Behavior.

Collagen is the most abundant structural protein in soft tissues, and the duplication of its structure and mechanics represents a key challenge to nanotechnology. Here we report a fibrous supramolecular network that can mimic nearly all of the aspects of collagen from dynamic hierarchical architecture to nonlinear mechanical behavior. This complex self-assembly system is solely based on a glucose polymer: curdlan, which is synthesized by bacteria and can form a similar triple helix as collagen.

A comparative study on agarose acetate and PDLLA scaffold for rabbit femur defect regeneration.

The development of degradable polymer scaffolds is a key issue in bone regeneration. Poly(D, L-lactide) (PDLLA) and its derivatives have usually been applied to the construction of degradable scaffolds, but these scaffolds had problems with acidic degradation products and quick loss of mechanic strength during the later degradation, which usually led to scaffold collapse and cavity formation because of the slower rate of bone regeneration. In the present paper, a polysaccharide derivative, agarose acetate (AGA), was synthesized and a novel porous AGA scaffold was successfully developed through a salt-leaching process.

Self-Assembly of Core-Corona β-Glucan into Stiff and Metalizable Nanostructures from 1D to 3D.

The development of self-assembly strategies for well-studied biopolymers is an important route to complex and functional nanostructures. Here, we report the self-assembly of a stiff polysaccharide, formylated yeast β-glucan, into multiple highly ordered nanostructures from 1D to 3D. This polysaccharide could fold into a two-component helix that consisted of a rod-like helical core and flexible coronas.

Mechanically stable surface-hydrophobilized chitosan nanofibrous barrier membranes for guided bone regeneration.

The use of chitosan based nanofiber membranes in guided bone regeneration (GBR) is limited by its uncontrolled swelling and mechanical instability in aqueous environments. This paper describes the significantly improved stability and properties of surface butyrylated chitosan nanofiber (BCSNF) membranes that greatly enhance their potential in GBR. The BCSNF membranes exhibited an overall degree of substitution of 1.

O-acylation of chitosan nanofibers by short-chain and long-chain fatty acids.

Chitosan nanofibers (CSNFs) have potential applications in biomaterials, oil recovery and food packaging, but their instability in moist environment has limited their full utilization. Here we report that CSNFs can be O-acylated in a post-electrospinning treatment by using pyridine as catalyst and short-chain (C2, C3, C4, C5 and C6) and long-chain (C8 and C12) fatty acid anhydrates as acylation agents. The effects of O-acylation to CSNFs were analyzed in detail.

Tile-based self-assembly of a triple-helical polysaccharide into cell wall-like mesoporous nanocapsules.

Tile-based self-assembly is a robust system in the construction of three-dimensional DNA nanostructures but it has been rarely applied to other helical biopolymers. β-Glucan is an immunoactive natural polymer which exists in a triple helical conformation. Herein, we report that β-glucan, after modification using two types of short chain acyl groups, can self-assemble into tiles with inactivated sticky ends at the interface of two solvents.

In vitro and in vivo evaluations of a novel post-electrospinning treatment to improve the fibrous structure of chitosan membranes for guided bone regeneration.

Electrospun chitosan membranes have been investigated for guided bone regeneration but are susceptible to swelling, dissolution, and loss of biomimetic nanofiber structure due to residual acid salts. A novel process was investigated for acidic salt removal from chitosan electrospun in 70% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) by treating with triethylamine (TEA)/acetone and di-tert-butyl dicarbonate (tBOC) instead of the common NaCO treatment. TFA salt removal and nanofiber structure stabilization were confirmed by EDS, FTIR, F NMR and electron microscopy before and after soaking in water.

Nanofibrous asymmetric membranes self-organized from chemically heterogeneous electrospun mats for skin tissue engineering.

Asymmetric membranes, which mimic the structure and functions of human skin, have been extensively pursued as ideal skin tissue engineering constructs. In this study, we demonstrated that nanostructured asymmetric membranes can be prepared by the self-organization of chemically heterogeneous bilayer electrospun membranes in aqueous solutions. Structurally, the skin layer consists of hydrophobic β-glucan butyrate nanofibers and its inner layer consists of hydrophilic β-glucan acetate nanofibers.

Synthesis of β-1,3-glucan esters showing nanosphere formation.

Polysaccharide nanoparticles are versatile functional materials used in drug delivery applications. Here we describe a method for the synthesis of β-1,3-glucan esters which show the formation of nanoparticles. Pyridine-soluble β-1,3-glucan formate was first synthesized as an intermediate and then reacted with various anhydrates to yield β-1,3-glucan acetate and hexaonate.

Modification of agarose with carboxylation and grafting dopamine for promotion of its cell-adhesiveness.

In order to improve bioactivity of agarose, we modified agarose by carboxylation and grafting dopamine. Under alkaline condition, carboxylated agarose was prepared using 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO) oxidation system by oxidizing C(6) hydroxyl on D-galactose ring into carboxyl group, and the maximum value of the degree of carboxylation reached 30%. With the increase of the amount of oxidant, the molecular weight of the carboxylated agarose decreased to 4 kDa by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) measure.