• Polymer(Korea)
• /
• v.31 no.5
• /
• pp.454-459
• /
• 2007

Gene therapy using low molecular weight water soluble chitosan (LMWSC) as polycationic polymer shows good biocompatibility, but low transfection efficiency. The mechanism of folic acid (FA) uptake in the cells to promote targeting and internalization could improve transfection rates. The objective of this study was to synthesize and characterize the WSCFA-DNA complex and evaluate their cytotoxicity, in vitro. In $^1H-NMR$ spectra, specific peaks appeared both of FA and LMWSC in $D_2O$. WSCFA nanoparticles have spherical shapes with particle size show below 110 nm. In the cell cytotoxicity test, the WSCFA-DNA complex showed high cell viability, in vitro. Gel electrophoresis showed condensed DNA within the carriers. hi vitro transfection efficiency was assayed by fluorescence spectroscopy WSCFA nanoparticles have less cytotoxicity, good DNA condensation and particle size around 110 nm, which makes them a promising candidate as a non-viral gene vector.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.285-291
• /
• 2008

This study was performed to investigate the effects of Chitosan on the nickel poisoning in rats. In the study, 150 male Sprague-Dawley were used. The experimental groups were divided into four: A (30 mg/L nickel), B (30 mg/L nickel+0.2% Chitin, Chitosan and Dithiocarbamate Chitosan), C (30 mg/L nickel+0.4% Chitin, Chitosan and Dithiocarbamate Chitosan), D (30 mg/L nickel+0.8%Chitin, Chitosan and Dithiocarbamate Chitosan). The results were as flows; 1. The nickel concentration in the livers of the control group (A) was $0.153{\sim}0.186\;mg/kg$ but the nickel concentration in the livers of the experimental decreased during the experimental period (P<0.05). 2. Metallothionenin levels in rat liver were $2.77{\sim}3.25\;ug/g$ wet,wt in control group (A), but were $2.89{\sim}3.51\;ug/g$ wet,wt (B), $2.97{\sim}3.62\;ug/g$ wet,wt (C), $2.68{\sim}3.68\;ug/g$ wet,wt (D). Respectively in the experimental groups. The experimental groups were inclined to increase compare to the control group (P<0.05). In conclusion, this study revealed a preventive effect of Chitin, Chitosan and Dithiocarbamate Chitosan against nickel toxicity.

• Polymer(Korea)
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.405-412
• /
• 2003

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and N-(2-hydroxy)propyl-3-trimethylammonium chitosan chloride (HTCC), a water soluble chitosan derivative synthesized by the reaction of quaternary ammonium compound with chitosan, were blended using water as a solvent and the PVA/HTCC blend films with various compositions were prepared by solution casting method. The miscibility between the two polymers and the thermal properties of the blend films were investigated using FT-IR, DSC, DMA, and TGA. Single glass transition temperatures and single melting temperatures of the blend films along with the strong and clear film state for the whole composition of blending ratios suggest the miscibility between PVA and HTCC. The PVA/HTCC blend films with HTCC content of 1% and greater showed excellent antimicrobial activity.

• Polymer(Korea)
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.418-430
• /
• 2000

A new hydroxylpropyl chitosan (HPCTO) capable of forming both thermotropic and lyotropic liquid crystalline phases was synthesized by reaction of alkali chitosan with propylene oxide and its solid films cross-linked with glyoxal were prepared by casting the liquid crystalline solution in methanol. The thermal and swelling properties of the cross-linked films were investigated. The films displayed fingerprint patterns characteristic of cholesteric liquid-crystalline phase, and their pitches increased with increasing temperature and cross-linker concentration. The cross-linked samples exhibited an anisotropic swelling in both water and methanol, suggesting that the two-dimensional cross-linking preferentially performs between HPCTO molecules. The degree of anisotropy highly depended on the solvent, but hardly on the cross-linker concentration investigated.

• Proceedings of the Korean Fiber Society Conference
• /
• 2003.10a
• /
• pp.43-44
• /
• 2003

The new method for preparing hybrid fibers from aqueous solution is described. The method is based on interfacial polyionic complexation between the counter-charged polymers. Polysaccharides, chitosan and gellan, and polypeptides, poly(L-lysine) and poly(L-glutamic acid) were utilized as the components of the fibers. The chitosan-gellan and poly(L-lysine)-gellan hybrid fibers exhibited a high level biodegradability.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2005.11a
• /
• pp.208-211
• /
• 2005

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.546-552
• /
• 1996

The applicability of chitosan, a biodegradable natural polymer, as the coating material to prevent the dispersal of the spores of the apple white rot agent Botryosphaeria dothidea, was investigated. The physical properties of mixed chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol(PVA) film showed the increased physical properties for film formation, such as tensil strength, elongation, and viscosity, compared to either chitosan or PVA film. The FT-IR spectra of chitosan/PVA film indicated that the film was formed by simple blending not by any new synthetic bond. The chitosan and chitosan/PVA film showed effective antifungal activity on B. dothidea. The formed films were well decomposed by ASTM strains used for biodegradability test, on the other hand, the PVA film could not be decomposed by above standard strains. The field test at apple orchard showed that the dispersal of B. dothidea spores could be effectively reduced by coated film, especially by chitosan/PVA film. The spore dispersal was reduced upto 97.0% by 1.0% chitosan/5.0% PVA film during 4 months.

• Polymer(Korea)
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.291-297
• /
• 2004

Water-soluble chitosan micro spheres were prepared by emulsification of chitosan solution in mineral oil followed by cross linking reaction with different amount of the cross linking agent (glutraraldehyde), different chitosan concentration. Then, the physicochemical properties such as morphological change by degradation, drug loading efficiency, and drug release profiles were investigated with the drug loaded water-soluble chitosan microspheres. Norfloxacin loaded water-soluble chitosan micro spheres showed excellent drug entrapping capacities without burst release caused by surface bound drug. The absence of the surface bound drug also confirmed by X-ray diffraction study. Degradation and drug release studies showed that the amount of the crosslinking agent played a crucial role for drug loading, release and degradation. The water-soluble chitosan micro spheres showed more sustained drug release profiles with slower degradation and larger particle size by increasing crosslinking agent.

• Polymer Science and Technology
• /
• v.8 no.5
• /
• pp.538-545
• /
• 1997

• Macromolecular Research
• /
• v.12 no.5
• /
• pp.534-539
• /
• 2004

Two biopolymers, silk fibroin (SF) and chitosan, were conjugated by tyrosinase (EC 1.14.18.1), a polyphenolic oxidase, to improve their physicochemical properties, such as their thermal properties and morphological stabilities in organic solvents. The crosslinking between SF and chitosan took place mainly through Michael addition reactions. A main reaction between the amino groups in chitosan and o-quinone, the oxidation product of the tyrosyl residue in SF, was confirmed by UV spectroscopy. Measurements of viscosity and light scattering indicated that the crosslinked SF/chitosan conjugate was compact: it had a smaller particle size because of tight bonding forces between the SF and chitosan molecular chains. Thermal decomposition of SF/chitosan conjugates crosslinked by tyrosinase occurred at higher temperatures. The adhesiveness of the SF/chitosan conjugates decreased steadily as the crosslinking reaction progressed. We propose that this new crosslinking method be used for the preparation of silk fibroin/chitosan conjugates using tyrosinase. We expect that SF/chitosan conjugates crosslinked by tyrosinase can be used preferentially in biomedical applications because of its unique properties and non-toxicity.