Effect of silk protein processing on drug delivery from silk films.
Sericin removal from the core fibroin protein of silkworm silk is a critical first step in the use of silk for biomaterial-related applications, but degumming can affect silk biomaterial properties, including molecular weight, viscosity, diffusivity and degradation behavior. Increasing the degumming time (10, 30, 60, and 90 min) decreases the average molecular weight of silk protein in solution, silk solution viscosity, and silk film glass-transition temperature, and increases the rate of degradation of a silk film by protease. Model compounds spanning a range of physical-chemical properties generally show an inverse relationship between degumming time and release rate through a varied degumming time silk coating. Degumming provides a useful control point to manipulate silk's material properties.
Tufts University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, 4 Colby St. Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA.
Eleanor M
EM
Pritchard
Xiao
X
Hu
Violet
V
Finley
Catherine K
CK
Kuo
David L
DL
Kaplan
D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000502:physiology; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations / Q000737:chemistry*; D005349:Fibroins / Q000737:chemistry*; D007203:Indigo Carmine / Q000737:chemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D008970:Molecular Weight; D059748:Proteolysis; D012293:Rifampin / Q000737:chemistry; D047030:Sericins / Q000737:chemistry*; D013997:Time Factors; D014227:Triazines / Q000737:chemistry; D014783:Viscosity
D004396:Coloring Agents; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D047030:Sericins; D014227:Triazines; C042516:reactive red 120 dye; D005349:Fibroins; D007203:Indigo Carmine; D012293:Rifampin