Chitosan tripolyphosphate (CS/TPP) nanoparticles: preparation, characterization and application for gene delivery in shrimp

Nanocarriers for the Delivery of Quercetin to Inhibit the UV-Induced Aggregation of γD-Crystallin

Due to gradual environmental changes like ozone layer depletion and global warming, human eyes are exposed to UV light. Exposure to UV light can be a cause of cataracts, one of the ocular diseases that may cause vision impairment. To date, lens replacement has been the only treatment available for cataracts. In our present study, we carried out an extensive examination of polyphenols as inhibitors for UV-induced aggregation of γD-crystallin. On exposure to UV-C light, γD-crystallin forms fibrils instead of amorphous aggregates. Various polyphenols were tested as inhibitors; out of them, quercetin, baicalein, and caffeic acid were found to be effective. As polyphenols are insoluble in water, nanoencapsulation was used to enhance their bioavailability. CS-TPP and CS-PLGA encapsulating systems were considered, as they form biodegradable nanocapsules. Out of three polyphenols (quercetin, baicalein, and caffeic acid), quercetin forms nanocarriers of smaller sizes, a must for crossing the retinal barrier. Quercetin nanocarriers were considered an effective system that could be used for therapeutic applications. For these nanocarriers, encapsulation efficiency and polyphenol release kinetics were studied. CS-PLGA NPs were found to have a better loading efficiency for quercetin than CS-TPP NPs.

Chitosan-Based Polymeric Nanoparticles as an Efficient Gene Delivery System to Cross Blood Brain Barrier: In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluations

Significant progress has been made in the field of gene therapy, but effective treatments for brain tumors remain challenging due to their complex nature. Current treatment options have limitations, especially due to their inability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and precisely target cancer cells. Therefore options that are safer, more effective, and capable of specifically targeting cancer cells are urgently required as alternatives. This current study aimed to develop highly biocompatible natural biopolymeric chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) as potential gene delivery vehicles that can cross the BBB and serve as gene or drug delivery vehicles for brain disease therapeutics. The efficiency of the CNPs was evaluated via in vitro transfection of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP)-tagged plasmid in HEK293-293 and brain cancer MG-U87 cell lines, as well as within in vivo mouse models. The CNPs were prepared via a complex coacervation method, resulting in nanoparticles of approximately 260 nm in size. In vitro cytotoxicity analysis revealed that the CNPs had better cell viability (85%) in U87 cells compared to the chemical transfection reagent (CTR) (72%). Moreover, the transfection efficiency of the CNPs was also higher, as indicated by fluorescent emission microscopy (20.56% vs. 17.79%) and fluorescent-activated cell sorting (53% vs. 27%). In vivo assays using Balb/c mice revealed that the CNPs could efficiently cross the BBB, suggesting their potential as efficient gene delivery vehicles for targeted therapies against brain cancers as well as other brain diseases for which the efficient targeting of a therapeutic load to the brain cells has proven to be a real challenge.

Chitosan and Its Carboxymethyl-Based Membranes Produced by Crosslinking with Magnesium Phytate

Membranes produced by crosslinking chitosan with magnesium phytate were prepared using highly deacetylated chitosan and its N-carboxymethyl, O-carboxymethyl and N,O-carboxymethyl derivatives. The conditions of the membrane production were described. IR, Raman, electron absorption and emission spectra were measured and analyzed for all the substrates. It was found that O-carboxymethyl chitosan derivative is the most effectively crosslinked by magnesium phytate, and the films formed on this substrate exhibit good mechanical parameters of strength, resistance and stability. Strong O-H···O hydrogen bonds proved to be responsible for an effective crosslinking process. Newly discovered membrane types produced from chitosan and magnesium phytate were characterized as morphologically homogenous and uniform by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and IR measurements. Due to their good covering properties, they do not have pores or channels and are proposed as packaging materials.

Formulation, Characterisation and Evaluation of the Antihypertensive Peptides, Isoleucine-Proline-Proline and Leucine-Lysine-Proline in Chitosan Nanoparticles Coated with Zein for Oral Drug Delivery

Isoleucine-Proline-Proline (IPP) and Leucine-Lysine-Proline (LKP) are food-derived tripeptides whose antihypertensive functions have been demonstrated in hypertensive rat models. However, peptides display low oral bioavailability due to poor intestinal epithelial permeability and instability. IPP and LKP were formulated into nanoparticles (NP) using chitosan (CL113) via ionotropic gelation and then coated with zein. Following addition of zein, a high encapsulation efficiency (EE) (>80%) was obtained for the NP. In simulated gastric fluid (SGF), 20% cumulative release of the peptides was achieved after 2 h, whereas in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF), ~90% cumulative release was observed after 6 h. Higher colloidal stability (39−41 mV) was observed for the coated NP compared to uncoated ones (30−35 mV). In vitro cytotoxicity studies showed no reduction in cellular viability of human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 and HepG2 liver cells upon exposure to NP and NP components. Administration of NP encapsulating IPP and LKP by oral gavage to spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) attenuated systolic blood pressure (SBP) for 8 h. This suggests that the NP provide appropriate release to achieve prolonged hypotensive effects in vivo. In conclusion, chitosan-zein nanoparticles (CZ NP) have potential as oral delivery system for the encapsulation of IPP and LKP.

Attachment and in vitro transfection efficiency of an anti-rabies Chitosan-DNA nanoparticle vaccine

In Mexico, urban rabies has been reduced during the last decade thanks to intensive canine control and vaccination campaigns; however, rabies transmitted by wild animals, especially by bats, has been increasing due to vampire bats feeding on livestock. Vampire bat populations has been controlled by culling with vampiricides, reducing indiscriminately other bat species. Hence, bat vaccination for rabies offers an alternative for culling. Nevertheless, available rabies vaccines are not suitable for their use in wildlife from emerging countries. This project presents an alternative for the use of plasmid vaccines using bio-nanotechnology, to create low-cost and accessible vaccines. To accomplish this goal, chitosan nanoparticles were synthesized by ionic gelation and conjugated by coacervation with a pDNA rabies vaccine to test their attachment efficiency. Also, the conjugate was functionalized with Protoporphyrin IX and Folic acid as biomarkers. The nanoparticles complex was characterized by ultraviolet visible spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and the Z potential was obtained. In vitro tests were performed on cell viability and transfection. The nanoparticles possessed a low polydispersity, a mean size of 118.5 ± 13.6 nm and a Z potential of 17.3 mV. The attachment efficiency was of 100% independent of pDNA added. In contrast to functionalized nanoparticles which showed a max attachment efficiency of 99.6% dependent of pDNA concentration and the method of functionalization. The conjugate did not influence the viability and they improved the transfection efficiency. Results suggest that these nanoparticles are easy to prepare, inexpensive, and exhibit potential for plasmid delivery as it improves transfection efficiency of pDNA vaccines.

Investigations on characteristics of polyurethane foam impregnated with nanochitosan and nanosilver/silver oxide and its effectiveness in phosphate removal

A novel potential adsorbent, produced with chitosan nanoparticles and silver/silver oxide nanoparticles impregnated on polyurethane foam (PFCA), is developed for phosphate removal in aqueous solutions. The ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy uncovered the emergence of nanoparticles. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) provided the mean size of chitosan nanoparticles between 56 and 112 nm and that of silver-silver oxide nanoparticles between 44 and 75 nm. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy determined the presence of specific elements (C, O, P and Ag) in the adsorbent before and after treatment. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed the interplay between the N-H bond of amino group in PFCA and phosphate ions during adsorption. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of PFCA showed nearly the same pattern before and after treatment, indicating the stability of PFCA. The silver ion concentration in the effluent from inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analysis was found to be very less and below the drinking water limits. The surface area estimated by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) studies was found to be 2.17 m²/g. The experimental studies showed that PFCA can remove 61.24% of phosphate from an influent phosphate phosphorus concentration of 50 mg P/L, at its propitious condition. Even after 7 cycles of reuse, PFCA proved to be effective in removing 20.58% of phosphate. Hence, PFCA can be considered to be a potential sorbent for removing phosphate from surface water. Graphical abstract.

Chitosan nanoparticles as edible surface coating agent to preserve the fresh-cut bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L. var. grossum (L.) Sendt)

This work synthesized chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) by ionic gelation method using sodium tripolyphosphate pentabasic (STPP) and applied as nano-coating agent to extend the shelf life of fresh cut bell pepper (FCP) by preventing the microbial contaminations. The CSNPs were spherical shaped and 22.55 ± 1.69 d.nm sized with ζ-potential of 45.10 ± 1.42 mV confirmed by UHR-SEM, FE-TEM, and ζ-potential size analyses. The crystallinity and functional group changes were determined by XRD and FT-IR analyses respectivelly. The antioxidant activity of CSNPs was determined in terms of DPPH and ABTS scavenging activities. The 1% and 3% of CSNPs were found to be minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) respectively against all tested bacteria. The MBC of CSNPs was exhibited the promising anti-biofilm activity. Therefore, the 3% of CSNPs was used to prepare the chitosan nano-coating (CSNC), and applied on surface of FCP to prevent the microbial contaminations such as fungi, bacteria including Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica. The experimental results showed that the application of CSNC was maintained the FCP for 12 days at 5 °C without loss of weight, and sensory quality.

Chitosan-Based Drug Delivery System: Applications in Fish Biotechnology

Chitosan is increasingly used for safe nucleic acid delivery in gene therapy studies, due to well-known properties such as bioadhesion, low toxicity, biodegradability and biocompatibility. Furthermore, chitosan derivatization can be easily performed to improve the solubility and stability of chitosan-nucleic acid polyplexes, and enhance efficient target cell drug delivery, cell uptake, intracellular endosomal escape, unpacking and nuclear import of expression plasmids. As in other fields, chitosan is a promising drug delivery vector with great potential for the fish farming industry. This review highlights state-of-the-art assays using chitosan-based methodologies for delivering nucleic acids into cells, and focuses attention on recent advances in chitosan-mediated gene delivery for fish biotechnology applications. The efficiency of chitosan for gene therapy studies in fish biotechnology is discussed in fields such as fish vaccination against bacterial and viral infection, control of gonadal development and gene overexpression and silencing for overcoming metabolic limitations, such as dependence on protein-rich diets and the low glucose tolerance of farmed fish. Finally, challenges and perspectives on the future developments of chitosan-based gene delivery in fish are also discussed.

dos Santos BF, A. Tavares A, Maciel MA, Lucena BDM, L. Fook MV, de L. Silva SM. The Impact of the Ionic Cross-Linking Mode on the Physical and In Vitro Dexamethasone Release Properties of Chitosan/Hydroxyapatite Beads

In this study, the effect of the ionic cross-linking mode on the ability to control physical properties and in vitro release behavior of the dexamethasone (DEX) drug from chitosan (CS) and chitosan/hydroxyapatite (CS/HA) beads was investigated. CS solutions without and with HA and DEX were dripped into two coagulation solutions, prepared with a non-toxic ionic crosslinker (sodium tripolyphosphate, TPP) and distilled water, one at pH = 9.0 and other at pH = 6.0. Optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed changes on the surface topology of the beads, with a reduction of roughness for beads prepared at pH = 6.0 and an increase for the one prepared at pH = 9.0. The diameter and sphericity of the beads prepared at pH = 6.0 proved more uniform and had a larger pore size with a good interconnectivity framework. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) suggested a higher crosslinking degree for beads prepared at pH = 6.0, corroborated by X-ray diffraction profiles (XRD) analysis that indicated a decrease in the crystalline structure for such beads. In in vitro drug release data, all beads presented a sustained release during the studied period (24 h). The drug release rate was affected by the pH of the coagulation solution used in the preparation of the beads. The in vitro kinetics of the release process was of the Peppas-Sahlin model, controlled by both diffusion and relaxation of polymer chains or swelling (anomalous transport mechanism). Our results suggest that DEX-loaded CS/HA beads, crosslinked in TPP coagulation solution at pH = 9.0, led to a decrease in the DEX release rate and prolonged the release period. Thus, this composition might have prospective as a functional material for bone and cartilage tissue engineering.

Biodegradable cross-linked chitosan nanoparticles improve anti-Candida and anti-biofilm activity of TistH, a peptide identified in the venom gland of the Tityus stigmurus scorpion

Among several bioactive peptides identified from the venom glands of the Tityus stigmurus scorpion, one peptide with hypotensive action (TistH, Tityus stigmurus Hypotensin) showed multifunctional and biotechnological applications. The maximum efficacy of this class of compounds can be achieved by immobilizing it in specific and suitable biomaterials or suitable carriers. In this study, distinct entrapment methods of TistH in chitosan nanoparticles was tested using its incorporation (CN-TistH-Inc) or adsorption (CN-TistH-Ads) methods by ionotropic gelification. Physico-chemical properties as well as biocompatibility and antifungal efficacy were assessed for different samples. Atomic force microscopy and field emission gun scanning electronic microscopy images associated with particle size measurements demonstrated that the two methods induced cationic spherical, small (< 160 nm), and narrow-sized (PdI about 0.3) nanoparticles, even after peptide loading greater than 96.5%, which was confirmed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The colloidal suspensions showed to be stable for 8 weeks and were able to induce the desired slow in vitro peptide release. Cytotoxicity assays performed in normal cells originated from murine macrophages (RAW 264.7) and kidneys of African green monkeys (Vero E6) suggested biocompatibility of samples. The CN-TistH-Inc and CN-TistH-Ads showed a minimal inhibitory concentration of 89.2 μg.mL^-1 against Candida albicans, 11.1 μg.mL^-1 for C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis, confirmed by minimum fungicidal concentrations assay. Moreover, the TistH-loaded cross-linked chitosan nanoparticles significantly reduced the biofilm formation of clinical yeast sepsis of C. tropicalis and C. krusei, as well as clinical yeasts of vulvovaginal candidiasis of C. albicans. In this approach, biodegradable nanocarriers prepared using simple and reproducible methods demonstrated the ability to deliver the TistH peptide from T. stigmurus and improve its antifungal efficacy.

The potency of chitosan-Pinus merkusii extract nanoparticle as the antioxidant and anti-caspase 3 on lead acetate-induced nephrotoxicity in rat

The current study was carried out to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-caspase 3 activity of chitosan-Pinus merkusii nanoparticle in against lead acetate-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. chitosan-P. merkusii nanoparticle was characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The male rats were divided into control group (rats were given with distilled water), lead acetate group (rats were injected with lead acetate 15 mg/kg BW i. p), and the treatment group (rats were given the chitosan-P. merkusii nanoparticle 150 mg, 300 mg, 600 mg/kg BW orally and were injected with lead acetate 15 mg/kg BW). The rats blood samples were measured levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine. The kidney tissues were collected to evaluate the malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Histological to evaluate renal damage, and immunohistochemical to analyze the expression of caspase 3. The results showed that DLS showed the size of chitosan-P. merkusii nanoparticle was 165.9 ± 24.18 nm. SEM images of the chitosan-P. merkusii nanoparticles showed an irregular shape and its the rough surface. Administration of lead acetate resulted in a significant increase in levels of the BUN, creatinine, MDA level, caspase 3 expression, and a decrease in SOD and GPx were compared with the control group. Treatment with the chitosan-P. merkusii nanoparticle 600 mg/kg BW significantly decreased the elevated BUN, creatinine, MDA levels, caspase 3 expression and also increase in SOD and GPx as compared to lead acetate group. The lead acetate induced loss of the normal structure of renal cells and necrosis, whereas treated with chitosan-P. merkusii nanoparticle improved renal cell necrosis. This study indicates that chitosan-P. merkusii nanoparticles appeared to be a promising agent for protection against lead-induced nephrotoxicity through increasing antioxidant and inhibiting caspase 3 expression.

Ionically Crosslinked Chitosan Membranes Used as Drug Carriers for Cancer Therapy Application

The aim of this paper was to prepare, by the freeze-drying method, ionically crosslinked chitosan membranes with different contents of pentasodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) and loaded with 1,4-naphthoquinone (NQ14) drug, in order to evaluate how the physical crosslinking affects NQ14 release from chitosan membranes for cancer therapy application. The membranes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), swelling degree, and through in vitro drug release and cytotoxicity studies. According to the results, the molecular structure, porosity and hydrophilicity of the chitosan membranes were affected by TPP concentration and, consequently, the NQ14 drug release behavior from the membranes was also affected. The release of NQ14 from crosslinked chitosan membranes decreased when the cross-linker TPP quantity increased. Thus, depending on the TPP amount, the crosslinked chitosan membranes would be a potential delivery system to control the release of NQ14 for cancer therapy application. Lastly, the inhibitory potential of chitosan membranes ionically crosslinked with TPP and loaded with NQ14 against the B16F10 melanoma cell line was confirmed through in vitro cytotoxicity studies assessed via MTT assay. The anti-proliferative effect of prepared membranes was directly related to the amount of cross-linker and among all membranes prepared, such that one crosslinked with 0.3% of TPP may become a potential delivery system for releasing NQ14 drug for cancer therapy.

Meta-analysis of antiviral protection of white spot syndrome virus vaccine to the shrimp

Currently, white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is one of the most serious pathogens that impacts shrimp farming around the world. A WSSV vaccine provides a significant protective benefit to the host shrimp. Although various types of vaccines against WSSV have emerged, the immune effects among them were not compared, and it remains unclear which type of vaccine has the strongest protective effect. Meanwhile, due to the lack of effective routes of administration and immunization programs, WSSV vaccines have been greatly limited in the actual shrimp farming. To answer these questions, this study conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis over dozens of studies and compared all types WSSV vaccines, which include sub-unit protein vaccines, whole virus inactivated vaccines, DNA vaccines and RNA-based vaccines. The results showed that the RNA-based vaccine had the highest protection rate over the other three types of vaccines. Among the various sub-unit protein vaccines, VP26 vaccine had the best protective effects than other sub-unit protein vaccines. Moreover, this study demonstrated that vaccines expressed in eukaryotic hosts had higher protection rates than that of prokaryotic systems. Among the three immunization modes (oral administration, immersion and injection) used in monovalent protein vaccines, oral administration had the highest protection rate. In natural conditions, shrimp are mostly infected by the virus orally. These results provide a guide for exploration of a novel WSSV vaccine and help facilitate the application of WSSV vaccines in shrimp farming.

Concepts for Developing Physical Gels of Chitosan and of Chitosan Derivatives

Chitosan macro- and micro/nano-gels have gained increasing attention in recent years, especially in the biomedical field, given the well-documented low toxicity, degradability, and non-immunogenicity of this unique biopolymer. In this review we aim at recapitulating the recent gelling concepts for developing chitosan-based physical gels. Specifically, we describe how nowadays it is relatively simple to prepare networks endowed with different sizes and shapes simply by exploiting physical interactions, namely (i) hydrophobic effects and hydrogen bonds-mostly governed by chitosan chemical composition-and (ii) electrostatic interactions, mainly ensured by physical/chemical chitosan features, such as the degree of acetylation and molecular weight, and external parameters, such as pH and ionic strength. Particular emphasis is dedicated to potential applications of this set of materials, especially in tissue engineering and drug delivery sectors. Lastly, we report on chitosan derivatives and their ability to form gels. Additionally, we discuss the recent findings on a lactose-modified chitosan named Chitlac, which has proved to form attractive gels both at the macro- and at the nano-scale.

Therapeutic Potential of DNAzyme Loaded on Chitosan/Cyclodextrin Nanoparticle to Recovery of Chemosensitivity in the MCF-7 Cell Line

Commonly, acquired resistances to anticancer drug are mediated by overexpression of a membrane-associated protein that encode via multi-drug resistance gene-1 (MDR1). Herein, the mRNA-cleaving DNAzyme that targets the mRNA of MDR1 gene in doxorubicin-resistant breast cancer cell line (MCF-7/DR) loaded on the chitosan β-cyclodextrin complexes was used as a tropical agent. Chitosan/β-cyclodextrin complexes were used to deliver DNAzymes into cancer cells. Determination of the physicochemical characteristics of the particles was done by photon correlation spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The encapsulation efficiency of the complexes was tested by using gel retardation assay. Positively charged nanoparticles interacted with DNAzyme that could perform as an efficient DNAzyme transfection system. The rationale usage of this platform is to sensitize MCF-7/DR to doxorubicin by downregulating the drug-resistance gene MDR1. Results demonstrated a downregulation of MDR1 mRNAs in MCF-7/DR/DNZ by real-time PCR, compared to the MCF-7/DR as control. WST1 assay showed the 22-fold decrease in drug resistance on treated cells 24 h after transfection. Results showed the intracellular accumulation of Rh123 increased in the treated cells with DNAzyme. Results suggested a potential platform in association with chemotherapy drug for cancer therapy and indicated extremely efficient at delivery of DNAzyme in restoring chemosensitivity.

Chitosan in Non-Viral Gene Delivery: Role of Structure, Characterization Methods, and Insights in Cancer and Rare Diseases Therapies

Non-viral gene delivery vectors have lagged far behind viral ones in the current pipeline of clinical trials of gene therapy nanomedicines. Even when non-viral nanovectors pose less safety risks than do viruses, their efficacy is much lower. Since the early studies to deliver pDNA, chitosan has been regarded as a highly attractive biopolymer to deliver nucleic acids intracellularly and induce a transgenic response resulting in either upregulation of protein expression (for pDNA, mRNA) or its downregulation (for siRNA or microRNA). This is explained as the consequence of a multi-step process involving condensation of nucleic acids, protection against degradation, stabilization in physiological conditions, cellular internalization, release from the endolysosome ("proton sponge" effect), unpacking and enabling the trafficking of pDNA to the nucleus or the siRNA to the RNA interference silencing complex (RISC). Given the multiple steps and complexity involved in the gene transfection process, there is a dearth of understanding of the role of chitosan's structural features (Mw and degree of acetylation, DA%) on each step that dictates the net transfection efficiency and its kinetics. The use of fully characterized chitosan samples along with the utilization of complementary biophysical and biological techniques is key to bridging this gap of knowledge and identifying the optimal chitosans for delivering a specific gene. Other aspects such as cell type and administration route are also at play. At the same time, the role of chitosan structural features on the morphology, size and surface composition of synthetic virus-like particles has barely been addressed. The ongoing revolution brought about by the recent discovery of CRISPR-Cas9 technology will undoubtedly be a game changer in this field in the short term. In the field of rare diseases, gene therapy is perhaps where the greatest potential lies and we anticipate that chitosans will be key players in the translation of research to the clinic.

Determination of diffusion coefficient for released nanoparticles from developed gelatin/chitosan bilayered buccal films

This study aims at the mathematical optimization by Box-Behnken statistical design, fabrication by ionic gelation technique and in vitro characterization of insulin nanoparticles containing thiolated N- dimethyl ethyl chitosan (DMEC-Cys) conjugate. Then Optimized insulin nanoparticles were loaded into the buccal film, and in-vitro drug release from films was investigated, and diffusion coefficient was predicted. The optimized nanoparticles were shown to have mean particle size diameter of 148nm, zeta potential of 15.5mV, PdI of 0.26 and AE of 97.56%. Cell viability after incubation with optimized nanoparticles and films were assessed using an MTT biochemical assay. In vitro release study, FTIR and cytotoxicity also indicated that nanoparticles made of this thiolated polymer are suitable candidates for oral insulin delivery.

Antimicrobial Activity of Chitosan Film Forming Solution Enriched with Essential Oils; an in Vitro Assay

Background: The resistance of the bacteria and fungi to the innumerous antimicrobial agents is a major challenge in the treatment of the infections demands to the necessity for searching and finding new sources of substances with antimicrobial properties. The incorporation of the essential oils (EOs) in chitosan film forming solution may enhance antimicrobial properties. However, its use as the feeding additive in the poultry nutrition needs to clarify the product's activity against both pathogen and the useful microbes in the gastrointestinal tract. Objectives: In the present study, we carried out an in vitro investigation and evaluated the antimicrobial activity of chitosan film forming solution incorporated with essential oils (CFs+EOs) against microbial strains including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus rahmnosus, Aspergillus niger and Alternaria alternate. Material and Methods: In three replicates, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of different treatments including: 1- essential oils (EOs), 2- chitosan film solution (CFs), and 3-chitosan film solution enriched with EOs (CFs+EOs) were determined against above mentioned microbes. Results: The results indicated that the chitosan solution enriched with essential oils (CFs+EOs) is capable of inhibiting the bacterial and fungal growth even at the lowest concentrations. The MIC and MBC for all the antimicrobial agents against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were very low compared to the concentrations needed to inhibit the growth of useful bacteria, Lactobacillus rahmnosu and Enterococcus faecium. The antifungal activity of chitosan was enhanced as the concentration of EOs increased in the film solution. Conclusion: Chitosan-EOs complexes are the promising candidate for novel contact antimicrobial agents that can be used in animal feeds.

Size optimization and in vitro biocompatibility studies of chitosan nanoparticles

Chitosan (CS), an amino polysaccharide has fascinating scientific applications due to its many flexible properties. The advantages of Chitosan tend to increase when it was modified. Thus, in the present research work, to improve the properties of chitosan, it was converted into chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs) through the ionic gelation method using sodium tripoyphosphate (TPP) and sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) as a crosslinker. The size optimization was done by varying the parameters such as crosslinker concentration, agitation method and rate, agitation time, temperature and drying method. The prepared samples were characterized using FTIR, TGA, XRD, SEM, TEM and DLS. Also the prepared CS-NPs with TPP and SHMP had been evaluated in vitro for determining its hemocompatibility, biodegradability, serum stability, cytotoxicity and cell viability. The results showed the significant participation of all the parameters in obtaining the nanoparticles in 20-30nm and 5-10nm for CS-NPs-TPP air dried and freeze dried samples and around 60-80nm and 20-30nm for CS-NPs-SHMP air dried and freeze dried samples. The in vitro biological studies revealed that the nanoparticles are non-toxic with a good degree of biodegradability, blood compatibility and stability.

Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) gene expression construct: Development, nanodelivery and effect on reproduction in air-breathing catfish, Clarias batrachus

Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) is responsible for the relocation of cholesterol across mitochondrial membrane in vertebrates and is, therefore, a key factor in regulating the rate and timing of steroidogenesis. In the present study, we developed chitosan nanoparticle (CNP) conjugated StAR gene construct (CNP-pcDNA4-StAR) in a eukaryotic expression vector, pcDNA4/HisMax A. CNPs of 135.4nm diameter, 26.7mV zeta potential and 0.381 polydispersity index were used for conjugation. The loading efficiency (LE) of pcDNA4-StAR construct with CNPs was found to be 86%. After the 24h of intramuscular injection, the CNP-pcDNA4-StAR plasmid could be detected from testis, brain, kidney and muscle tissues of Clarias batrachus. The transcript levels of important reproductive genes viz. cyp11a1, cyp17a1, 3β-hsd, 17β-hsd and cyp19a1 in CNP-pcDNA4-StAR treated group were initially low up to 24h, but significantly increased subsequently up to 120h. In naked pcDNA4-StAR treated group, the mRNA level of 3β-hsd, 17β-hsd and cyp19a1 increased initially up to 24h, while cyp11a1 and cyp17a1 increased up to 48h and then started declining. Similar results were obtained for 11-Ketotestosterone and 17β-estradiol. The results indicate relatively long lasting effects of nano-conjugated construct compared to the construct alone. Furthermore, the histopathology of gonads and liver authenticates its possible role in the gonadal development in fish without any adverse effect.

Fabrication of letrozole formulation using chitosan nanoparticles through ionic gelation method

In this study, the anticancer drug letrozole (LTZ) was formulated using chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs) with the crosslinking agent sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP). The nano-formulation was optimized by varying the concentration of drug. The prepared particles were characterized using FTIR, TGA, XRD, SEM, TEM and DLS. From the FTIR results, the appearance of a new peak for CH, CC and CN confirms the formation of LTZ loaded chitosan nanoparticles. TEM images shows that the average particle size was in the range of 60-80nm and 20-40mm air dried and freeze dried samples respectively. Also the prepared formulation had been evaluated in vitro for determining its hemocompatability, biodegradability and serum stability. The preliminary studies supported that the chitosan nanoparticles formulation has biocompatibility and hemocompatible properties and it can act as an effective pharmaceutical excipient for letrozole.

Effect of silver nanoparticles on the metabolic rate, hematological response, and survival of juvenile white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is highly lethal and contagious in shrimps; its outbreaks causes an economic crisis for aquaculture. Several attempts have been made to treat this disease; however, to date, there is no effective cure. Because of their antimicrobial activities, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are the most studied nanomaterial. Although the antiviral properties of AgNPs have been studied, their antiviral effect against viral infection in aquaculture has not been reported. The AgNPs tested herein are coated with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and possess multiple international certifications for their use in veterinary and human applications. The aim of this work was to evaluate the survival rate of juvenile white shrimps (Litopenaeus vannamei) after the intramuscular administration of AgNPs. For this, different concentrations of metallic AgNPs and PVP alone were injected into the organisms. After 96 h of administration, shrimp survival was more than 90% for all treatments. The oxygen consumption routine rate and total hemocyte count remained unaltered after AgNP injection, reflecting no stress caused. We evaluated whether AgNPs had an antiviral effect in shrimps infected with WSSV. The results revealed that the survival rate of WSSV-infected shrimps after AgNP administration was 80%, whereas the survival rate of untreated organisms was only 10% 96 h after infection. These results open up the possibility to explore the potential use of AgNPs as antiviral agents for the treatment of diseases in aquaculture organisms, particularly the WSSV in shrimp culture.

Development of chitosan nanocapsules for the controlled release of hexaconazole

Accelerated use of pesticides in cutting edge agriculture prompted us to explore smart nanoformulations to subside the consumption of these perilous chemicals. Polymer nanocapsules carrying a fungicide, hexaconazole were developed through ionotropic gelation method utilizing chitosan and tripolyphosphate (TPP). The nanocapsules were characterized by photon correlation spectroscope (PCS), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscope. Nanocapsules were optimized for size and high encapsulation efficiency using central composite design (CCD) software. The encapsulation efficiency of nanocapsules for hexaconazole was 73% as assessed by gas chromatography (GC). Nanocapsules were analysed and compared with commercial formulation for controlled release in vitro at three different pH values. Release of hexaconazole from nanocapsules was fastest at pH 4 in comparison to pH 7 and pH 10. Release study in soil was also conducted and revealed a controlled pattern for nanoformulation. The fungicidal activity of the prepared nanoformulation was evaluated against R. solani and was compared with commercial formulation of hexaconazole. The cytotoxicity assay performed on vero cell lines by MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide) assay confirmed that nanoformulation is less toxic than commercial formulation of pesticide.

About the Sterilization of Chitosan Hydrogel Nanoparticles

In the last years, nanostructured biomaterials have raised a great interest as platforms for delivery of drugs, genes, imaging agents and for tissue engineering applications. In particular, hydrogel nanoparticles (HNP) associate the distinctive features of hydrogels (high water uptake capacity, biocompatibility) with the advantages of being possible to tailor its physicochemical properties at nano-scale to increase solubility, immunocompatibility and cellular uptake. In order to be safe, HNP for biomedical applications, such as injectable or ophthalmic formulations, must be sterile. Literature is very scarce with respect to sterilization effects on nanostructured systems, and even more in what concerns HNP. This work aims to evaluate the effect and effectiveness of different sterilization methods on chitosan (CS) hydrogel nanoparticles. In addition to conventional methods (steam autoclave and gamma irradiation), a recent ozone-based method of sterilization was also tested. A model chitosan-tripolyphosphate (TPP) hydrogel nanoparticles (CS-HNP), with a broad spectrum of possible applications was produced and sterilized in the absence and in the presence of protective sugars (glucose and mannitol). Properties like size, zeta potential, absorbance, morphology, chemical structure and cytotoxicity were evaluated. It was found that the CS-HNP degrade by autoclaving and that sugars have no protective effect. Concerning gamma irradiation, the formation of agglomerates was observed, compromising the suspension stability. However, the nanoparticles resistance increases considerably in the presence of the sugars. Ozone sterilization did not lead to significant physical adverse effects, however, slight toxicity signs were observed, contrarily to gamma irradiation where no detectable changes on cells were found. Ozonation in the presence of sugars avoided cytotoxicity. Nevertheless, some chemical alterations were observed in the nanoparticles.

Chitosan nanoparticles as carrier systems for the plant growth hormone gibberellic acid

This work concerns the development of nanocarriers composed of alginate/chitosan (ALG/CS) and chitosan/tripolyphosphate (CS/TPP) for the plant growth regulator gibberellic acid (GA₃). ALG/CS nanoparticles with and without GA₃ presented mean size of 450±10nm, polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.3, zeta potential of -29±0.5mV, concentrations of 1.52×10¹¹ and 1.92×10¹¹ nanoparticles mL^-1, respectively, and 100% encapsulation efficiency. CS/TPP nanoparticles with and without GA₃ presented mean size of 195±1nm, PDI of 0.3, zeta potential of +27±3mV, concentrations of 1.92×10¹² and 3.54×10¹² nanoparticles mL^-1, respectively, and 90% encapsulation efficiency. The nanoparticles were stable during 60days and the two systems differed in terms of the release mechanism, with the release depending on factors such as pH and temperature. Bioactivity assays using Phaseolus vulgaris showed that the ALG/CS-GA₃ nanoparticles were most effective in increasing leaf area and the levels of chlorophylls and carotenoids. The systems developed showed good potential, providing greater stability and efficiency of this plant hormone in agricultural applications.

Preparation, Characterization and in Vivo Antimycobacterial Studies of Panchovillin-Chitosan Nanocomposites

Chitosan (CS, molecular weight 20.2 kDa, degree of deacylation (DD) 73.31%) was successfully obtained by deacetylation of chitin extracted from shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) shell wastes. The encapsulation of the bioactive natural product, panchovillin (PANV), isolated from Erythrina schliebenii, on a chitosan-tripolyphosphate (CS/TPP) nano-framework was achieved by ionotropic gelation. Characterization of pure CS, CS/TPP and PANV-CS/TPP nanocomposites was performed by FTIR, SEM and XRD. The molecular weight of chitosan and the thermal stability of the materials were determined by MALDI-TOF-MS and simultaneous thermal analyzer (STA)/DTG, respectively. The respective encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of the PANV were found to be 70% and 0.36%. The in vitro release studies showed an initial burst of 42% of PANV in the first six hours. This was followed by a slow and sustained release up to 72 h. The in vivo antimycobacterial activities of both PANV and PANV-CS/TPP nanocomposite against Mycobacterium indicus pranii (MIP) using Galleria mellonella larvae as an in vivo infection model are reported in this paper.

Dietary chitosan nanoparticles protect crayfish Procambarus clarkii against white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection

Chitosan nanoparticles have exhibited potential antibacterial activity or anticancer activity as their unique character. In this study, we investigated the effect of chitosan nanoparticles protect crayfish Procambarus clarkii against WSSV. Chitosan (from crab shell) nanoparticles were prepared by ultrafine milling. The physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles were determined by particle size measure, zeta potential analysis and scanning electron microscope observation. The total hemocyte count (THC), phenoloxidase (PO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were measured at days 1, 4, 9 and 12, and the survival rate was also recorded after WSSV challenge. The results showed that chitosan nanoparticles could enhance the survival rate of WSSV-challenged crayfish. And crayfish fed diets supplemented with 10 mg/g chitosan nanoparticles (65% mortality) showed a significantly higher survival rate when compared to the control group (100% mortality). The analysis of immunological parameters revealed that 10 mg/g chitosan nanoparticles showed significantly higher level of prophenoloxidase (proPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total hemocyte count (THC) when compared to the control group. It was found that chitosan nanoparticles could inhibit WSSV replication in crayfish. Our results demonstrated that dietary chitosan nanoparticles effectively improve innate immunity and survival of P. clarkii challenged with WSSV.

Tartrate/tripolyphosphate as co-crosslinker for water soluble chitosan used in protein antigens encapsulation

In drug delivery research, several toxic chemical crosslinkers and non-toxic ionic crosslinkers have been exploited for the synthesis of microparticles from acetic acid soluble chitosan. This paper hypothesized the implementation of sodium potassium tartrate (SPT) as an alternative crosslinker for sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) and SPT/TPP co-crosslinkers for synthesis of the microparticles using water soluble chitosan (WSC) for encapsulation of Bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein, and Tetanus toxoid (TT) as a model vaccine. The crosslinking was confirmed by FT-IR, SEM with EDS. The XRD entailed molecular dispersion of proteins and thermal analysis confirmed the higher stability of STP/TPP co-crosslinked formulations. The resultant microparticles were exhibiting crosslinking degree (52-67%), entrapment efficiency (72-80%), particle size (0.3-1.7μm), zeta potential (+24 to 46mV) and mucoadhesion (41-68%). The superiority of SPT over TPP was confirmed by higher crosslinking degree and entrapment efficiency. However, co-crosslinking were advantageous in higher regression values for Langmuir adsorption isotherm, slower swelling tendency and extended 30days controlled in-vitro release study. TT release obeyed the Quasi-Fickian diffusion mechanism for single and cocrosslinked formulations. Overall, in crosslinking of chitosan as biological macromolecules, STP/TPP may be alternative for single ionic crosslinked formulations for protein antigen delivery.