Polysaccharide Nanofibers Research Articles

Electrospinning of Triple-Component Protein–Polysaccharide Nanofibers for Fabrication of Highly Efficient Ethylene Scavenger Films

Ethylene scavengers exhibit considerably high potential for their application in prolonging the shelf-life of fruits, but their application has been hindered owing to food safety and environmental issues. Thus, in this study, we fabricated a bio-based nanofiber film composed of zein, Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch. gum (ASKG), and chitosan (CS) via electrospinning. The addition of ASKG and CS increased the viscosity and surface tension of zein precursor solutions and consequently enhanced their spinnability. Electrostatic co-assembly between the protein and polysaccharides led to the formation core–shell nanofibers (Z@A-CS nanofibers), which effectively enhanced their ethylene removal efficiency, mechanical properties, and hydrophobicity. Furthermore, bananas incubated with the Z@A-CS nanofiber films for 10 days exhibited a lower browning rate, higher hardness, and prolonged shelf-life compared to those incubated without a film. Based on these results, we deduce that the strong interactions between the numerous active functional groups of zein and ethylene and the large specific surface area of the nanofibers led to the development of highly efficient, environmentally friendly, and economical ethylene scavenger films, which exhibit a high potential in fruit preservation.

Polysaccharide Nanofiber-Stabilized Pickering Emulsion Microparticles Induce Pyroptotic Cell Death in Hepatocytes and Kupffer Cells.

The intracellular uptake and interaction behavior of emulsion microparticles in liver cells critical to host defense and inflammation is significant to understanding their potential cytotoxicity and biomedical applications. In this study, the cell death responses of fibroblastic, hepatocyte, and Kupffer cells (KCs) induced by four types of emulsion particles that are stabilized by polysaccharide nanofibers (cellulose or chitin), an inorganic nanoparticle (β-tricalcium phosphate), or surfactants are compared. Pickering emulsion (PE) microparticles stabilized by polysaccharide nanofibers or inorganic nanoparticles have a droplet size of 1-3µm, while the surfactant-stabilized emulsion has a diameter of ≈190nm. Polysaccharide nanofiber-stabilized PEs (PPEs) markedly induce lactate dehydrogenase release in all cell types. Additionally, characteristic pyroptotic cell death, which is accompanied by cell swelling, membrane blebbing, and caspase-1 activation, occurs in hepatocytes and KCs. These PE microparticles are co-cultured with lipopolysaccharide-primed KCs associated with cytokine interleukin-1β release, and the PPEs demonstrate biological activity as a mediator of the inflammation response. Well-designed PPE microparticles induce pyroptosis of liver cells, which may provide new insight into regulating inflammation-related diseases for designing potent anticancer drugs and vaccine adjuvants.

Comparison of cellulose and chitin nanofibers on Pickering emulsion stability—Investigation of size and surface wettability contribution

There is an increasing concern about developing biobased colloid particles for Pickering stabilization due to the environment-friendliness and health-safety needs. In this study, Pickering emulsions were formed by using TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical)-mediated oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TOCN) and chitin nanofibers prepared by TEMPO-mediated oxidation (TOChN) or partial deacetylation (DEChN). The physicochemical characterizations of Pickering emulsions demonstrated that the higher cellulose or chitin nanofiber concentrations, surface wettability, and zeta-potential, the higher effectiveness in Pickering stabilization. Specifically, even though DEChN was at a shorter size (with a length of 254 ± 72 nm) as compared to TOCN (with a length of 3050 ± 1832 nm), it showed an excellent stabilization effect on emulsions at the concentration of 0.6 wt% due to its higher affinity to soybean oil (water contact angle of 84.38 ± 0.08°) and large electrostatic repulsion between oil particles. Meanwhile, when the concentration was 0.6 wt%, long TOCN (water contact angle of 43.06 ± 0.08°) formed a three-dimensional network in the aqueous phase, which produced a superstable Pickering emulsion resulting from the limited moving of droplets. These results provided important information on the formulation of Pickering emulsions stabilized by polysaccharide nanofibers with suitable concentration, size and surface wettability.

3D printed polylactic acid (PLA) filters reinforced with polysaccharide nanofibers for metal ions capture and microplastics separation from water

The need for multifunctional, robust, reusable, and high-flux filters is a constant challenge for sustainable water treatment. In this work, fully biobased and biodegradable water purification filters were developed and processed by the means of three-dimensional (3D) printing, more specifically by fused deposition modelling (FDM).The polylactic acid (PLA) – based composites reinforced with homogenously dispersed TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TCNF) or chitin nanofibers (ChNF) were prepared within a four-step process; i. melt blending, ii. thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) pelletization method, iii. freeze drying and iv. single-screw extrusion to 3D printing filaments. The monolithic, biocomposite filters were 3D printed in cylindrical as well as hourglass geometries with varying, multiscale pore architectures. The filters were designed to control the contact time between filter’s active surfaces and contaminants, tailoring their permeance.All printed filters exhibited high print quality and high water throughput as well as enhanced mechanical properties, compared to pristine PLA filters. The improved toughness values of the biocomposite filters clearly indicate the reinforcing effect of the homogenously dispersed nanofibers (NFs). The homogenous dispersion is attributed to the TIPS method. The NFs effect is also reflected in the adsorption capacity of the filters towards copper ions, which was shown to be as high as 234 and 208 mg/gNF for TCNF and ChNF reinforced filters, respectively, compared to just 4 mg/g for the pure PLA filters. Moreover, the biocomposite-based filters showed higher potential for removal of microplastics from laundry effluent water when compared to pure PLA filters with maximum separation efficiency of 54 % and 35 % for TCNF/PLA and ChNF/PLA filters, respectively compared to 26 % for pure PLA filters, all that while maintaining their high permeance.The combination of environmentally friendly materials with a cost and time-effective technology such as FDM allows the development of customized water filtration systems, which can be easily adapted in the areas most affected by the inaccessibility of clean water.

Development and characterization of sumatriptan-loaded soy bean polysaccharide nanofiber using electrospinning technique

The use of electrospinning fibers in rapid-dissolving drug delivery systems accelerates the release of the active substance due to their extensive contact surface and porosity. Sumatriptan succinate (SS), an antimigraine drug has beneficial and proven effects on human health, but it has some shortcomings such as bitter-taste, low oral absorption and low half-life that limit its application in pharmaceutical systems. In this work, the new nanofiber mats were developed to increase oral absorption and improve the efficacy of drug. The mean fiber diameters were 313.29 ± 31 nm, 373.37 ± 29 nm and 453 ± 42 nm for those loaded by 0.15% SS, 0.5% SS and 1% SS, respectively. By adding sumatriptan succinate to the electrospinning solution, viscosity, electrical conductivity and tensile strength in fibers increased, but pH decreased. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-Ray diffraction (XRD) analyses confirmed the absence of interactions between drug and polymer membrane. A fast release rate was obtained for sumatriptan-loaded soluble soy bean polysaccharide (SSPS) nanofiber mats, where 95% of the sumatriptan released within 20 s. Cytotoxicity evaluation revealed that none of the nanofibers had toxic properties on the fibroblasts cells. Overall, sumatriptan can be loaded well in SSPS nanofibers and released more quickly in oral space, which will be effective in improving the onset of therapeutic effects and reducing migraine headaches.

A Unique Crustacean-Based Chitin Platform to Reduce Self-Aggregation of Polysaccharide Nanofibers

Every year, over 8 million tons of crustacean shells are discarded. However, there exists an opportunity for valorizing the chitin and calcium carbonate part of the composition of the shells. Our study revealed crustacean chitin reduces self-aggregation effects. It was shown that crustacean-based nanofibers alone or added to cellulose offer unprecedented reductions in viscosity even after drying to produce foams impossible for cellulose. Polysaccharide nanofibers suffer from increased viscosity from strong hydrogen bonding addressed by the incorporation of crustacean-based nanofibers. The ability of the nanocomposite to overcome self-aggregation and collapse was attributed to organized chitin nanofiber morphology in the crustacean matrix. As a result of enhanced surface area from reduced fiber aggregation, the chitin/crustacean-cellulose blend was tested for a biomedical application requiring a high surface area: coagulation. Preliminary experiments showed the crustacean matrices, especially those containing calcium carbonate, induced blood clotting when 35 s. A materials platform is proposed for bio-based nanofiber production overcoming intractable and difficult-to-address self-aggregation effects associated with polysaccharides.

Polysaccharide Electrospun Nanofibers for Wound Healing Applications.

As a type of biological macromolecule, natural polysaccharides have been widely used in wound healing due to their low toxicity, good biocompatibility, degradability and reproducibility. Electrospinning is a versatile and simple technique for producing continuous nanoscale fibers from a variety of natural and synthetic polymers. The application of electrospun nanofibers as wound dressings has made great progress and they are considered one of the most effective wound dressings. This paper reviews the preparation of polysaccharide nanofibers by electrospinning and their application prospects in the field of wound healing. A variety of polysaccharide nanofibers, including chitosan, starch, alginate, and hyaluronic acid are introduced. The preparation strategy of polysaccharide electrospun nanofibers and their functions in promoting wound healing are summarized. In addition, the future prospects and challenges for the preparation of polysaccharide nanofibers by electrospinning are also discussed.

Polysaccharide nanofibers and hydrogel: A comparative evaluation on 3D cell culture and tumor reduction

Nanofibers and hydrogels are two forms of biomaterial scaffolds that have different properties and different applications. Polysaccharides have been used for the preparation of both scaffolds due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. In this study, our main objective was to compare the tumor cell growth and tumor reduction potential of drug-loaded scaffolds. This was achieved using different methods for cell proliferation, epithelial–mesenchymal Transition studies, and biomarker expression-related assays. Anticancer drug doxorubicin was loaded to the scaffolds using adsorption and in vitro and in vivo tumor reduction was also performed. Results showed that both scaffolds supported the growth of cancer cells but did not promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition. A significant difference in drug release was observed and this may have influenced the in vivo tumor reduction. A fast release of the drug and higher tumor-reducing potential was observed for hydrogel. The studies confirmed that different types of scaffolds have different properties. Biomedical applications related to the structure can be dissimilar in different scenarios.

Eugenol/silk fibroin nanoparticles embedded Lycium barbarum polysaccharide nanofibers for active food packaging

Eugenol has an excellent antibacterial effect, but its application in food is limited by its instability, pungent smell, and water-insolubility. The purpose of this study is to prepare Eugenol/silk fibroin nanoparticles/Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (EO/SFNPs/LBP) nanofibers as active food packaging. EO/SFNPs were prepared by the self-assembly. The best concentration of silk fibroin (25 mg/mL) was determined by comparing particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, and encapsulation efficiency. Then, EO/SFNPs was added to LBP nanofibers, and morphology, thermal stability, antibacterial effect, and release rate of nanofibers were studied. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy confirmed that nanofibers were prepared successfully. The release rate of EO decreased due to the encapsulation of nanofibers and the thermal stability of LBP nanofibers was enhanced because of the addition of nanoparticles. The nanofibers showed strong antibacterial activity and did not affect the sensory quality of pork. Therefore, EO/SFNPs/LBP nanofibers may be promising food packaging.

Combination of Polysaccharide Nanofibers Derived from Cellulose and Chitin Promotes the Adhesion, Migration and Proliferation of Mouse Fibroblast Cells.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) as a structural and biochemical scaffold to surrounding cells plays significant roles in cell adhesion, migration, proliferation and differentiation. Herein, we show the novel combination of TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofiber (TOCNF) and surface-N-deacetylated chitin nanofiber (SDCtNF), respectively, having carboxylate and amine groups on each crystalline surface, for mouse fibroblast cell culture. The TOCNF/SDCtNF composite scaffolds demonstrated characteristic cellular behavior, strongly depending on the molar ratios of carboxylates and amines of polysaccharide NFs. Pure TOCNF substrate exhibited good cell attachment, although intact carboxylate-free CNF made no contribution to cell adhesion. By contrast, pure SDCtNF induced crucial cell aggregation to form spheroids; nevertheless, the combination of TOCNF and SDCtNF enhanced cell attachment and subsequent proliferation. Molecular blend of carboxymethylcellulose and acid-soluble chitosan made nearly no contribution to cell culture behavior. The wound healing assay revealed that the polysaccharide combination markedly promoted skin repair for wound healing. Both of TOCNF and SDCtNF possessed rigid nanofiber nanoarchitectures with native crystalline forms and regularly-repeated functional groups, of which such structural characteristics would provide a potential for developing cell culture scaffolds having ECM functions, possibly promoting good cellular adhesion, migration and growth in the designated cellular microenvironments.

A honeycomb-like hydrogel in-situ constructed by Streptococcus zooepidemicus and TOCN for the proliferation of bacteria

Cellulose, as a significant natural carbohydrate polymer, can be transformed into polysaccharide nanofiber. A novel in-situ hydrogel was constructed using TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofiber (TOCN) and metabolites of Streptococcus zooepidemicus, such as hyaluronic acid (HA) and lactic acid (LA). In the presence of LA, HA underwent a gelation process, and S. zooepidemicus was embedded in the skeleton of the hydrogel network. This in-situ hydrogel accommodated the bacteria by providing a suitable environment for their growth and protecting them from external stress. The elastic modulus of the in-situ hydrogel was maintained at 4000 G′ in Pa, thus ensuring that it was protected from damage even after being immersed in the medium. The hydrogel continued to show normal fermentation activities upon being transferred into the seed or fermentation medium. These findings indicated that the in-situ hydrogel could act as a wellspring that spills out the scattered bacteria.

A Review of Sustained Drug Release Studies from Nanofiber Hydrogels.

Polymer nanofibers have exceptionally high surface area. This is advantageous compared to bulk polymeric structures, as nanofibrils increase the area over which materials can be transported into and out of a system, via diffusion and active transport. On the other hand, since hydrogels possess a degree of flexibility very similar to natural tissue, due to their significant water content, hydrogels made from natural or biodegradable macromolecular systems can even be injectable into the human body. Due to unique interactions with water, hydrogel transport properties can be easily modified and tailored. As a result, combining nanofibers with hydrogels would truly advance biomedical applications of hydrogels, particularly in the area of sustained drug delivery. In fact, certain nanofiber networks can be transformed into hydrogels directly without the need for a hydrogel enclosure. This review discusses recent advances in the fabrication and application of biomedical nanofiber hydrogels with a strong emphasis on drug release. Most of the drug release studies and recent advances have so far focused on self-gelling nanofiber systems made from peptides or other natural proteins loaded with cancer drugs. Secondly, polysaccharide nanofiber hydrogels are being investigated, and thirdly, electrospun biodegradable polymer networks embedded in polysaccharide-based hydrogels are becoming increasingly popular. This review shows that a major outcome from these works is that nanofiber hydrogels can maintain drug release rates exceeding a few days, even extending into months, which is an extremely difficult task to achieve without the nanofiber texture. This review also demonstrates that some publications still lack careful rheological studies on nanofiber hydrogels; however, rheological properties of hydrogels can influence cell function, mechano-transduction, and cellular interactions such as growth, migration, adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and morphology. Nanofiber hydrogel rheology becomes even more critical for 3D or 4D printable systems that should maintain sustained drug delivery rates.

Application of glycyrrhiza polysaccharide nanofibers loaded with tea tree essential oil/ gliadin nanoparticles in meat preservation

In order to control the contamination of Salmonella typhimurium on the surface of meat products, tea tree essential oil (TTO) was encapsulated into gliadin (Gli) nanoparticles, and apply them to the field of antibacterial food packaging through glycyrrhiza polysaccharide (GP) nanofibers, to inhibit the growth of Salmonella typhimurium on the surface of meat products. The gum arabic (Ga) was used to stabilize Gli nanoparticles. When the ratio of Ga to Gli was 1:5, the particle size of Gli nanoparticles was reduced from 375.62 nm to 236.06 nm, and the encapsulation efficiency was increased by 23.38%. Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results indicated the successful embedding of TTO. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed that the prepared nanoparticles had a regular spherical structure. The addition of nanoparticles improved the tensile strength and elongation at break of the GP nanofibers. Gli/Ga-TTO@GP nanofibers inhibited the growth of Salmonella typhimurium on pork and chicken surfaces by 98.52% and 97.86% during the five-days storage. Meanwhile, antibacterial nanofibers delayed the oxidation of lipids on the surface of meat products. During the five-days storage period, the texture and chroma of meat products wrapped with Gli/Ga-TTO@GP nanofibers did not show markedly change.

An optimized preparation of nanofiber hydrogels derived from natural carbohydrate polymers and their drug release capacity under different pH surroundings

Cellulose and chitin, as the two important natural carbohydrate polymers, have possibility to disassemble to biomass derived polysaccharide nanofibers. The 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO) oxidized nanocellulose and nanochitin based hydrogel was fabricated via acid gas phase coagulation. It was observed that hydrogels began to form when the pH was lower than 3. When 0.1 mL of acetic acid coagulation bath was provided, 10 h were enough to form sufficient physical crosslinking. Moreover, the release time of amygdalin loaded in the hydrogel could be more than 60 h with a release amount of 80 % due to the uniform network and water-bearing structure. Meanwhile, the release capacity of hydrogels showed diversity at different pH surroundings, which was attributed to the existence of carboxyl groups on the oxidized nanofiber. The results suggested the possible application of the produced nanofiber hydrogels in some specific areas, such as drug delivery, wound dressing, and food packaging.

Enhanced polysaccharide nanofibers via oxidation over SiliaCat TEMPO.

Drawing on independent work carried out by academic and industrial researchers using the immobilized TEMPO catalyst SiliaCat TEMPO, in this study we show how shifting the carboxylation process mediated by TEMPO in solution to a process mediated by the above-mentioned hybrid sol-gel catalyst allows the synthesis of insoluble polysaccharide nanofibers of superior quality, eliminating waste. This will dramatically reduce the polysaccharide nanofiber production costs opening the route to large-scale production and uptake of these versatile nanofibers in a variety of functional products where their use has been limited by high cost. The results of this study will be useful for catalysis and biotechnology researchers as well as for chemistry educators teaching green chemistry, nanochemistry, and catalysis using the outcomes of recent research.

Chitosan Nanofiber and Cellulose Nanofiber Blended Composite Applicable for Active Food Packaging.

This paper reports that, by simply blending two heterogeneous polysaccharide nanofibers, namely chitosan nanofiber (ChNF) and cellulose nanofiber (CNF), a ChNF–CNF composite was prepared, which exhibited improved mechanical properties and antioxidant activity. ChNF was isolated using the aqueous counter collision (ACC) method, while CNF was isolated using the combination of TEMPO oxidation and the ACC method, which resulted in smaller size of CNF than that of ChNF. The prepared composite was characterized in terms of morphologies, FT-IR, UV visible, thermal stability, mechanical properties, hygroscopic behaviors, and antioxidant activity. The composite was flexible enough to be bent without cracking. Better UV-light protection was shown at higher content of ChNF in the composite. The high ChNF content showed the highest antioxidant activity in the composite. It is the first time that a simple combination of ChNF–CNF composites fabrication showed good mechanical properties and antioxidant activities. In this study, the reinforcement effect of the composite was addressed. The ChNF–CNF composite is promising for active food packaging application.

Cold plasma treated phlorotannin/Momordica charantia polysaccharide nanofiber for active food packaging

Momordica charantia polysaccharide (MCP) has been repeatedly reported due to its anti-diabetic properties. Up to our knowledge, no research has discussed the use of MCP as a nanofiber matrix in an active food packaging. As an antibacterial and anti-oxidant agent, phlorotannin (PT) was encapsulated in MCP nanofibers to promote these activities. Nanofiber membranes were treated with cold plasma to increase their application performance. Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of PT and MCP against Escherichia coli O157:H7 were individually evaluated. The prepared nanofibers were assessed for their physical and mechanical properties in order to select the better-characterized ones. The successfulness of PT loading into MCP nanofibers was confirmed using SEM, AFM, TGA and DSC. After cold plasma treatment, the release efficiency of PT from the nanofibers was enhanced by 23.5 % (4 °C) and 25 % (25 °C), respectively. Correspondingly, both antibacterial and anti-oxidant activities of PT/MCP nanofibers were markedly improved.

Preparation and antibacterial activity of Litsea cubeba essential oil/dandelion polysaccharide nanofiber

To inhibit the emergence of drug-resistant strains, the essential oil extracted from the woody plant Litsea cubeba was selected as an antibacterial agent against Staphylococcus aureus. However, instability and volatility of Litsea cubeba essential oil (LCO) hinder its application. Therefore, in this study, the LCO was first encapsulated in the cavity of the β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) by solution-ultrasonic method, and then the inclusion complex was loaded by electrospinning to nanofibers based on the natural product dandelion polysaccharide (DP). The physicochemical properties of the LCO/DP nanofibers were subsequently characterized and their long-lasting antimicrobial properties were evaluated by release rate test. The results of antibacterial tests showed that LCO had good antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. The nanofibers with inclusion complex concentration of 7.5 mg/mL were selected for subsequent experiments by physical and chemical characterization of the spinning solution and nanofibers. The interaction between the essential oil and the components was evaluated using a Scanning Electron microscope (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). In addition, thermal properties of LCO/DP were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) which illustrated that LCO/DP nanofibers have good thermal stability. Finally, the release rate of essential oils showed that nanofibers have a good sustained release and long-lasting antibacterial effect. These results indicate that LCO/DP nanofibers can be further used for the medical and food packaging industries.

Enhanced Transepithelial Permeation of Gallic Acid and (-)-Epigallocatechin Gallate across Human Intestinal Caco-2 Cells Using Electrospun Xanthan Nanofibers.

Electrospun xanthan polysaccharide nanofibers (X) were developed as an encapsulation and delivery system of the poorly absorbed polyphenol compounds, gallic acid (GA) and (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the electrospun nanofibers, and controlled release studies were performed at pH 6.5 and 7.4 in saline buffer, suggesting that the release of polyphenols from xanthan nanofibers follows a non-Fickian mechanism. Furthermore, the X-GA and X-EGCG nanofibers were incubated with Caco-2 cells, and the cell viability, transepithelial transport, and permeability properties across cell monolayers were investigated. Increases of GA and EGCG permeabilities were observed when the polyphenols were loaded into xanthan nanofibers, compared to the free compounds. The observed in vitro permeability enhancement of GA and EGCG was induced by the presence of the polysaccharide nanofibers, which successfully inhibited efflux transporters, as well as by opening tight junctions.

A crosslinking strategy to make neutral polysaccharide nanofibers robust and biocompatible: With konjac glucomannan as an example

Neutral polysaccharides such as konjac glucomannan, starch and pullulan are abundant in nature and have unique property. Their nanofibers hold great potential for biomedicine, which however, are seldom applied in the field due to the lack of crosslinking method. In this work, we report a periodate oxidation - adipic acid dihydrazide (ADH) crosslinking strategy to prepare robust and biocompatible neutral polysaccharide nanofibers. Neutral polysaccharides with adjacent dihydroxyl groups are firstly partially oxidized with periodate to give dialdehyde polysaccharides, and their electrospun nanofibers are then crosslinked with ADH to form dihydrazone crosslinkers. The resulting crosslinked neutral polysaccharide nanofibers exhibit high water resistance and excellent mechanical properties because of the high reactivity of Schiff base crosslinking reaction. Moreover, the crosslinked neutral polysaccharide nanofibers show good biocompatibility due to the low toxicity of ADH. These robust and biocompatible neutral polysaccharide nanofibers are expected to seek extensive applications in a variety of biomedical fields.