Toxicity evaluation of chicken calamus keratin conduit as a tissue-engineering scaffold biomaterial.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the toxicity of chicken calamus keratin (CCK) conduit as a tissue-engineered scaffold material.


METHODS
The chemical composition of the leaching solution of CCK was determined by means of ultraviolet spectrometry, and the toxic effects of the solution was evaluated by skin sensitization test in rats, intracutaneous stimulation test in rabbits, acute systemic toxicity test in mice, and cytotoxicity test in L929 cells.


RESULTS
The leaching solution of CCK consisted mainly of middle-molecular-weight peptides with a small quantity of macromolecular proteins. Skin sensitization test in rats showed that application of the CCK leaching solution caused no obvious skin reddening, regional edema, or skin necrosis. Intracutaneous injection of the leaching solution in rabbits did not induce obvious skin stimulation manifested by intradermal erythema or edema. In acute systemic toxic test, administration of the leaching solution in mice caused no death, organ dysfunction, cyanosis, tremor, severe peritoneal irritation, ptosis, or dyspnoea. In vitro cytotoxicity test indicated that the cell toxicity of the CCK leaching solution was approximately at 0 level.


CONCLUSIONS
CCK contained in the treated chicken calamus easily undergoes hydrolysis to release mainly some peptides which do not induce obvious toxic effects, suggesting the safe potential applications of CCK conduit as a tissue-engineering biomaterial.
Department of Histology and Embryology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
Wei-ren
WR
Dong
Bing-lei
BL
Zhao
Ying-qing
YQ
Xiao
Xin-xia
XX
Qiu
Ying-hua
YH
Chen
Zhong-zhi
ZZ
Zou
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002645:Chickens; D005241:Feathers / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D007633:Keratins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D023422:Skin Irritancy Tests; D012996:Solutions; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*; D018675:Toxicity Tests / Q000379:methods*
D012996:Solutions; D007633:Keratins