title: Antibacterial activity and biocompatibility of a chitosan-gamma-poly(glutamic acid) polyelectrolyte complex hydrogel.
abstract: In this study, we prepared a polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) hydrogel comprising chitosan as the cationic polyelectrolyte and gamma-poly(glutamic acid) (gamma-PGA) as the anionic polyelectrolyte. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that ionic complex interactions existed in the chitosan-gamma-PGA PEC hydrogels. The compressive modulus increased upon increasing the degree of complex formation in the chitosan-gamma-PGA PEC hydrogel; the water uptake decreased upon increasing the degree of complex formation. At the same degree of complex formation, the compressive modulus was larger for the chitosan-dominated PEC hydrogels; the water uptake was larger for the gamma-PGA-dominated ones. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed the existence of interconnected porous structures (pore size: 30-100mum) in all of the chitosan-gamma-PGA PEC hydrogels. The chitosan-gamma-PGA PEC hydrogels also exhibited antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, in vitro cell culturing of 3T3 fibroblasts revealed that all the chitosan-gamma-PGA PEC hydrogels were effective in promoting cell proliferation, especially the positively charged ones (chitosan-dominated). Therefore, the chitosan-gamma-PGA polyelectrolyte hydrogel appears to have potential as a new material for biomedical applications.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei City 10617, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching Ting
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.forename: Chih Hao
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Yu Yung
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Ming Fung
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jaw-Lin
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jin Lin
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Kuo Huang
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Hsieh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015394:Molecular Structure; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D010316:Particle Size; D011099:Polyglutamic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D016062:Porosity; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004573:Electrolytes; C511775:poly(gamma-glutamic acid); D011099:Polyglutamic Acid; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D048271:Chitosan