title: Physico-chemical properties and cytotoxic effects of sugar-based surfactants: Impact of structural variations.
abstract: Surfactants derived from the biorefinery process can present interesting surface-active properties, low cytotoxicity, high biocompatibility and biodegradability. They are therefore considered as potential sustainable substitutes to currently used petroleum-based surfactants. To better understand and anticipate their performances, structure-property relationships need to be carefully investigated. For this reason, we applied a multidisciplinary approach to systematically explore the effect of subtle structural variations on both physico-chemical properties and biological effects. Four sugar-based surfactants, each with an eight carbon alkyl chain bound to a glucose or maltose head group by an amide linkage, were synthesized and evaluated together along with two commercially available standard surfactants. Physico-chemical properties including solubility, Krafft point, surface-tension lowering and critical micellar concentration (CMC) in water and biological medium were explored. Cytotoxicity evaluation by measuring proliferation index and metabolic activity against dermal fibroblasts showed that all surfactants studied may induce cell death at low concentrations (below their CMC). Results revealed significant differences in both physico-chemical properties and cytotoxic effects depending on molecule structural features, such as the position of the linkage on the sugar head-group, or the orientation of the amide linkage. Furthermore, the cytotoxic response increased with the reduction of surfactant CMC. This study underscores the relevance of a methodical and multidisciplinary approach that enables the consideration of surfactant solution properties when applied to biological materials. Overall, our results will contribute to a better understanding of the concomitant impact of surfactant structure at physico-chemical and biological levels.
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Université, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, UMR CNRS 7338 BMBI, Rue du Dr Schweitzer, 60200 Compiègne, France; Sorbonne Université, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, EA TIMR 4297 UTC/ESCOM, Rue du Dr Schweitzer, 60200 Compiègne, France.
authors.forename: Biao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Université, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, UMR CNRS 7338 BMBI, Rue du Dr Schweitzer, 60200 Compiègne, France.
authors.forename: Muriel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vayssade
authors.affiliation: Université de Picardie Jules Verne, LG2A, CNRS FRE 3517, Institut de Chimie de Picardie CNRS FR 3085, 33 rue Saint Leu, 80039 Amiens cedex, France.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.affiliation: Université de Picardie Jules Verne, LG2A, CNRS FRE 3517, Institut de Chimie de Picardie CNRS FR 3085, 33 rue Saint Leu, 80039 Amiens cedex, France.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chagnault
authors.affiliation: Université de Picardie Jules Verne, LG2A, CNRS FRE 3517, Institut de Chimie de Picardie CNRS FR 3085, 33 rue Saint Leu, 80039 Amiens cedex, France.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grand
authors.affiliation: Université de Picardie Jules Verne, LG2A, CNRS FRE 3517, Institut de Chimie de Picardie CNRS FR 3085, 33 rue Saint Leu, 80039 Amiens cedex, France.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wadouachi
authors.affiliation: Université de Picardie Jules Verne, LG2A, CNRS FRE 3517, Institut de Chimie de Picardie CNRS FR 3085, 33 rue Saint Leu, 80039 Amiens cedex, France.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Postel
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Université, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, EA TIMR 4297 UTC/ESCOM, Rue du Dr Schweitzer, 60200 Compiègne, France.
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Drelich
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Université, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, UMR CNRS 7338 BMBI, Rue du Dr Schweitzer, 60200 Compiègne, France; Tufts University, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, United States.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Egles
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Université, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, EA TIMR 4297 UTC/ESCOM, Rue du Dr Schweitzer, 60200 Compiègne, France. Electronic address: isabelle.pezron@utc.fr.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pezron
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D005947:Glucose / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008320:Maltose / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D013500:Surface Tension; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D008320:Maltose; D005947:Glucose
keywords: Cytotoxic effects; Interfacial properties; Structure-property relationships; Sugar-based surfactants