Antimicrobial Polysaccharides for Biomedical Applications

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School of Chemical Engineering | Doctoral thesis (article-based) | Defence date: 2024-11-22
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Authors

Date

2024

Department

Kemian tekniikan ja metallurgian laitos
Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering

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Mcode

Degree programme

Language

en

Pages

95 + app. 83

Series

Aalto University publication series DOCTORAL THESES, 214/2024

Abstract

Polysaccharides are widely used across various fields owing to their biological properties, biodegradability, and availability. Through various modification techniques, their properties can be tailored for specific applications. Chitosan, derived from deacetylated chitin, is particularly appealing in the biomedical sector due to its antimicrobial properties in acidic conditions. The polymer's amino groups become protonated in acidic environments, imparting a positive charge. This cationic charge is a crucial factor for antimicrobial activity, as most pathogens possess a net-negative surface charge and are thus susceptible to the positive charge of protonated chitosan.  Introducing quaternary ammonium groups to the polysaccharide backbone establishes a permanent positive charge. In this thesis, two distinct quaternary ammonium moieties, [2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride (AETMAC) and glycidyl trimethylammonium chloride (GTMAC), were incorporated into chitosan to investigate the potential of these derivatives as antiviral and antibacterial agents. These chitosan derivatives demonstrated significant promise as antimicrobial agents, particularly in biomedical applications, where there is an urgent need for new biobased solutions to combat infections and antibiotic resistance. This study evaluated and optimized the physiochemical and biological properties of the AETMAC and GTMAC derivatives. Due to differences in chemical structure and polymerization processes, the derivatives exhibited vastly different properties. Here, AETMAC functionalization is based on radical polymerization, while GTMAC is directly grafted onto the chitosan structure as a result of a nucleophilic ring-opening reaction of the epoxide moiety. AETMAC-functionalized derivatives showed superior antimicrobial properties and were further used to develop biocompatible chitosan-based composite materials.  Quaternary chitosan was combined with other polysaccharides and synthetic polymers to develop biocompatible hydrogels for medical purposes, especially wound healing applications. By optimizing the constituents of the composite, 3D printable and injectable hydrogels were obtained, featuring cross-linked polymeric networks based on physical and chemical cross-linking. In vitro biocompatibility assays of the hydrogels showed no acute cytotoxicity, addressing a common issue associated with higher degrees of quaternization. These findings underscore the potential of quaternary chitosan in developing biocompatible and effective antimicrobial materials for biomedical applications.

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Supervising professor

Seppälä, Jukka, Prof., Aalto University, Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, Finland; Niskanen, Jukka, Asst. Prof., Aalto University, Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, Finland

Thesis advisor

Seppälä, Jukka, Prof., Aalto University, Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, Finland
Borandeh, Sedigheh, Dr., Aalto University, Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, Finland
Lindfors, Nina, Dr., University of Helsinki, Finland

Keywords

polysaccharide, chitosan, antibacterial, antiviral, radical polymerization, hydrogel, 3D printing, biomedical applications, wound healing

Other note

Parts

  • [Publication 1]: Teotia Arun, Laurén Isabella, Borandeh Sedigheh, Seppälä Jukka. 2023. Quaternized Chitosan Derivatives as Viable Antiviral Agents: Structure-Activity Correlations and Mechanisms of Action. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, volume 15, issue 15, pages 18707-18719.
    Full text in Acris/Aaltodoc: https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-202305082986
    DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c01421 View at publisher
  • [Publication 2]: Borandeh Sedigheh, Laurén Isabella, Teotia Arun, Niskanen Jukka, Seppälä Jukka. 2023. Dual Functional Quaternary Chitosans with Thermoresponsive Behavior: Structure-Activity Relationships in Antibacterial Activity and Biocompatibility. Journal of Materials Chemistry B, volume 11, issue 47, pages 11300-11309.
    Full text in Acris/Aaltodoc: https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-202401041158
    DOI: 10.1039/d3tb02066e View at publisher
  • [Publication 3]: Laurén Isabella, Farzan Afsoon, Teotia Arun, Lindfors Nina, Seppälä Jukka. 2024. Direct Ink Writing of Biocompatible Chitosan/Non-isocyanate Polyurethane/Cellulose Nanofiber Hydrogels for Wound-Healing Applications. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, volume 259, Part 2, 129321.
    Full text in Acris/Aaltodoc: https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-202403062605
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129321 View at publisher
  • [Publication 4]: Madani Maryam, Laurén Isabella, Borandeh Sedigheh, Gounani Zahra, Laaksonen Timo, Lindfors Nina, Seppälä Jukka. 2024. Injectable and Printable Nanocellulose-Crosslinked Quaternary Chitosan Blends for Potential Wound Healing. Cellulose, volume 31.
    Full text in Acris/Aaltodoc: https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-202410236891
    DOI: 10.1007/s10570-024-06117-y View at publisher

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https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-64-2067-7

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[diss] Kemian tekniikan korkeakoulu / CHEM