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Published on: May 26, 2014
Ultrasonic synthesis of stable, functional lysozyme microbubbles
Francesca Cavalieri1, Muthupandian Ashokkumar, Franz Grieser
1Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. francesca.cavalieri@uniroma2.it
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|August 20, 2008
Summary
Chemically reduced lysozyme creates stable, functional microbubbles using high-intensity ultrasound. These protein-coated microbubbles maintain lysozyme
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Ultrasound Technology
- Protein Chemistry
Background:
- Protein-coated microbubbles are vital for drug delivery and diagnostics.
- Stability and functionality are key challenges for microbubble applications.
- High-intensity ultrasound can induce protein emulsification and cross-linking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize stable and functional microbubbles using chemically reduced lysozyme and high-intensity ultrasound.
- To investigate the role of free -SH functional groups in protein cross-linking for microbubble stability.
- To explore surface modification of microbubbles for therapeutic and diagnostic applications.
Main Methods:
- High-intensity ultrasound treatment of aqueous lysozyme solutions.
- Chemical reduction of lysozyme to expose free -SH groups.
- Layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition of polyelectrolytes for surface modification.
Main Results:
- Stable microbubbles were produced using chemically reduced lysozyme, unlike native lysozyme.
- Microbubble stability was controlled by the degree of lysozyme reduction and sonication time.
- Lysozyme-coated microbubbles demonstrated long-term stability (months) and retained antimicrobial activity.
- LbL deposition enabled surface modification for potential drug and biolabel adsorption.
Conclusions:
- Chemically reduced lysozyme is essential for creating stable, functional microbubbles via ultrasound.
- Controlling protein cross-linking is critical for tuning microbubble properties.
- These microbubbles offer a versatile platform for drug delivery and diagnostic imaging.
