TY - JOUR

T1 - Whey protein isolate

T2 - a versatile dairy-derived hydrogel for bone and vascular tissue engineering and antimicrobial applications

AU - Douglas, T.E.L.

N1 - Export Date: 25 April 2024 Correspondence Address: Douglas, T.E.L.; School of Engineering, Gillow Avenue, United Kingdom; email: t.douglas@lancaster.ac.uk

PY - 2024/3/29

Y1 - 2024/3/29

N2 - INTRODUCTION: Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) is an inexpensive by-product of the dairy industry, available in large quantities and used as a dietary supplement. WPI is over 97% protein; three-quarters is beta-lactoglobulin (β-LG) [1]. WPI in cell culture medium promoted the proliferation and differentiation of bone-forming cells [2]. Solutions of WPI can be heated to form hydrogels, which withstand sterilization by autoclaving; an important practical advantage. Denaturation of β-LG leads to increased hydrophobic interactions and disulphide bond formation and thus crosslinking to form the polymer hydrogel network [3]. We have studied WPI hydrogels as scaffolds for bone-forming cells and carriers of hydrophobic substances. EXPERIMENTAL: WPI hydrogels 15% to 40% (w/v) have been made [4-5]; inorganic particles, like bioactive glasses, alpha-tricalcium phosphate, aragonite and hydroxyapatite (HA) can easily be added during hydrogel formation [6-9]. Hydrophobic molecules such as phloroglucinol (PG), the fundamental subunit of marine polyphenols, and poly-gamma-glutamic acid (PGGA), can be incorporated during hydrogel formation. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: WPI hydrogels support the adhesion and growth of a range of bone-forming cells, including MG-63 osteoblast-like cells, normal human foetal osteoblasts (hFOB) normal mouse calvarial preosteoblasts (MC3T3-E1) and dental pulp stem cells [6-10], as well as human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVEC) [5]. Addition of aragonite [8] and PGGA [11] promoted osteoblastic differentiation, while incorporation of PG endowed antimicrobial activity towards a wide range of microbes including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis while maintaining cytocompatibility [11]. CONCLUSIONS: WPI hydrogels are both promising scaffolds for bone cells and hydrophobic drug carriers.

AB - INTRODUCTION: Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) is an inexpensive by-product of the dairy industry, available in large quantities and used as a dietary supplement. WPI is over 97% protein; three-quarters is beta-lactoglobulin (β-LG) [1]. WPI in cell culture medium promoted the proliferation and differentiation of bone-forming cells [2]. Solutions of WPI can be heated to form hydrogels, which withstand sterilization by autoclaving; an important practical advantage. Denaturation of β-LG leads to increased hydrophobic interactions and disulphide bond formation and thus crosslinking to form the polymer hydrogel network [3]. We have studied WPI hydrogels as scaffolds for bone-forming cells and carriers of hydrophobic substances. EXPERIMENTAL: WPI hydrogels 15% to 40% (w/v) have been made [4-5]; inorganic particles, like bioactive glasses, alpha-tricalcium phosphate, aragonite and hydroxyapatite (HA) can easily be added during hydrogel formation [6-9]. Hydrophobic molecules such as phloroglucinol (PG), the fundamental subunit of marine polyphenols, and poly-gamma-glutamic acid (PGGA), can be incorporated during hydrogel formation. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: WPI hydrogels support the adhesion and growth of a range of bone-forming cells, including MG-63 osteoblast-like cells, normal human foetal osteoblasts (hFOB) normal mouse calvarial preosteoblasts (MC3T3-E1) and dental pulp stem cells [6-10], as well as human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVEC) [5]. Addition of aragonite [8] and PGGA [11] promoted osteoblastic differentiation, while incorporation of PG endowed antimicrobial activity towards a wide range of microbes including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis while maintaining cytocompatibility [11]. CONCLUSIONS: WPI hydrogels are both promising scaffolds for bone cells and hydrophobic drug carriers.

KW - Antibacterial

KW - carrier

KW - osteoblast

KW - scaffold

M3 - Journal article

VL - 78

JO - Hemijska Industrija

JF - Hemijska Industrija

SN - 0367-598X

IS - 1S

M1 - 11

ER -