Comparative analysis of physicochemical properties and biological activities of chitosans from squid gladius and crab...

A comparative analysis of the physicochemical properties and biological activity of chitosans with similar molecular weights and degrees of deacetylation isolated from chitins of squid gladius (CHS) and crab shells (CHC) was conducted. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy indicated the ability of CHC to form aggregates in aqueous solutions whereas CHS generated smaller and more homogeneous structures. Scanning electron microscopy images of CHS revealed a uniform smooth supramolecular structure while CHC exhibited more heterogeneous structures with pores and cavities. The CHC and CHS films showed moderate moisture uptake capabilities, differed in their permeability for water vapor and swelling rates in phosphate buffer solution. Chitosans from different sources displayed unique interaction features with the polyanion κ-carrageenan, as recorded by DLS and isothermal titration calorimetry methods. Both CHC and CHS exhibited mild inhibitory effects on neuroblastoma cell lines Kelly and Lan-1 and a suppressive effect on colony formation in neuroblastoma cells, particularly affecting the Kelly line and most significantly impacting CHP-212 cells. Both chitosans significantly suppressed the transduction efficiency of defective replication-incompetent viral particles with envelope proteins of HIV-1 (GP160), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSB-G), and Mus. caroli endogenous retrovirus (McERV).