Polyethyleneimine modified poly(Hyaluronic acid) particles with controllable antimicrobial and anticancer effects

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Poly(hyaluronic acid) (p(HA)) is a biocompatible polymer with potential applications in drug delivery and tissue engineering.
• Developing functionalized p(HA) materials with enhanced properties like antimicrobial activity is crucial for advanced biomedical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize poly(hyaluronic acid)-polyethyleneimine (p(HA)-PEI) composite particles.
• To evaluate the antibacterial efficacy and anticancer activity of the synthesized p(HA)-PEI particles.
• To assess the biocompatibility of the p(HA)-PEI particles with mammalian cells.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of p(HA) particles using glycerol diglycidyl ether (GDE) crosslinker.
• Oxidation of p(HA) particles with sodium periodate followed by reaction with polyethyleneimine (PEI) at varying ratios.
• Zeta potential measurements to determine isoelectric points.
• Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) assays against bacterial strains.
• In vitro cytotoxicity assays using L929 fibroblast cells and cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231, H1299).

Main Results:

• High yield (94±5%) synthesis of p(HA) particles.
• Successful modification of p(HA) with PEI, shifting the isoelectric point to pH 8.7.
• Demonstrated antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis.
• Significant inhibition of MDA-MB-231 breast and H1299 lung cancer cell growth.
• p(HA)-PEI particles showed good biocompatibility with L929 fibroblast cells.

Conclusions:

• p(HA)-PEI composite particles represent a promising new class of functional biomaterials.
• The developed particles possess tunable antibacterial and anticancer properties, alongside good biocompatibility.
• These findings suggest potential applications in antimicrobial coatings, wound healing, and targeted cancer therapy.