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Abrami M, Biasin A, Tescione F, Tierno D, Dapas B, Carbone A, Grassi G, Conese M, Di Gioia S, Larobina D, Grassi M. Mucus Structure, Viscoelastic Properties, and Composition in Chronic Respiratory Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1933. [PMID: 38339210 PMCID: PMC10856136 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The respiratory mucus, a viscoelastic gel, effectuates a primary line of the airway defense when operated by the mucociliary clearance. In chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs), such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cystic fibrosis (CF), the mucus is overproduced and its solid content augments, changing its structure and viscoelastic properties and determining a derangement of essential defense mechanisms against opportunistic microbial (virus and bacteria) pathogens. This ensues in damaging of the airways, leading to a vicious cycle of obstruction and infection responsible for the harsh clinical evolution of these CRDs. Here, we review the essential features of normal and pathological mucus (i.e., sputum in CF, COPD, and asthma), i.e., mucin content, structure (mesh size), micro/macro-rheology, pH, and osmotic pressure, ending with the awareness that sputum biomarkers (mucins, inflammatory proteins and peptides, and metabolites) might serve to indicate acute exacerbation and response to therapies. There are some indications that old and novel treatments may change the structure, viscoelastic properties, and biomarker content of sputum; however, a wealth of work is still needed to embrace these measures as correlates of disease severity in association with (or even as substitutes of) pulmonary functional tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Abrami
- Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Via Valerio 6/A, I-34127 Trieste, Italy; (M.A.); (A.B.); (M.G.)
| | - Alice Biasin
- Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Via Valerio 6/A, I-34127 Trieste, Italy; (M.A.); (A.B.); (M.G.)
| | - Fabiana Tescione
- Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, National Research Council of Italy, P.le E. Fermi 1, I-80055 Portici, Italy; (F.T.); (D.L.)
| | - Domenico Tierno
- Clinical Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, Cattinara University Hospital, University of Trieste, Strada di Fiume 447, I-34149 Trieste, Italy; (D.T.); (G.G.)
| | - Barbara Dapas
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 1, I-34127 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Annalucia Carbone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Via Napoli 121, I-71122 Foggia, Italy; (A.C.); (S.D.G.)
| | - Gabriele Grassi
- Clinical Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, Cattinara University Hospital, University of Trieste, Strada di Fiume 447, I-34149 Trieste, Italy; (D.T.); (G.G.)
| | - Massimo Conese
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Via Napoli 121, I-71122 Foggia, Italy; (A.C.); (S.D.G.)
| | - Sante Di Gioia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Via Napoli 121, I-71122 Foggia, Italy; (A.C.); (S.D.G.)
| | - Domenico Larobina
- Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, National Research Council of Italy, P.le E. Fermi 1, I-80055 Portici, Italy; (F.T.); (D.L.)
| | - Mario Grassi
- Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Via Valerio 6/A, I-34127 Trieste, Italy; (M.A.); (A.B.); (M.G.)
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2
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Jory M, Donnarumma D, Blanc C, Bellouma K, Fort A, Vachier I, Casanellas L, Bourdin A, Massiera G. Mucus from human bronchial epithelial cultures: rheology and adhesion across length scales. Interface Focus 2022; 12:20220028. [PMID: 36330325 PMCID: PMC9560788 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2022.0028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Mucus is a viscoelastic aqueous fluid that participates in the protective barrier of many mammals' epithelia. In the airways, together with cilia beating, mucus rheological properties are crucial for lung mucociliary function, and, when impaired, potentially participate in the onset and progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Samples of human mucus collected in vivo are inherently contaminated and are thus poorly characterized. Human bronchial epithelium (HBE) cultures, differentiated from primary cells at an air-liquid interface, are highly reliable models to assess non-contaminated mucus. In this paper, the viscoelastic properties of HBE mucus derived from healthy subjects, patients with COPD and from smokers are measured. Hallmarks of shear-thinning and elasticity are obtained at the macroscale, whereas at the microscale mucus appears as a heterogeneous medium showing an almost Newtonian behaviour in some extended regions and an elastic behaviour close to boundaries. In addition, we developed an original method to probe mucus adhesion at the microscopic scale using optical tweezers. The measured adhesion forces and the comparison with mucus-simulants rheology as well as mucus imaging collectively support a structure composed of a network of elastic adhesive filaments with a large mesh size, embedded in a very soft gel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam Jory
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, Université de Montpellier and CNRS UMR 5221, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Dario Donnarumma
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, Université de Montpellier and CNRS UMR 5221, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Christophe Blanc
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, Université de Montpellier and CNRS UMR 5221, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Karim Bellouma
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, Université de Montpellier and CNRS UMR 5221, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Aurélie Fort
- Inserm U1046, Université de Montpellier, Respiratory Disease, CHU Montpellier, 34295 Montpellier, France
- Médecine Biologie Méditerranée, Montpellier, France
| | - Isabelle Vachier
- Inserm U1046, Université de Montpellier, Respiratory Disease, CHU Montpellier, 34295 Montpellier, France
- Médecine Biologie Méditerranée, Montpellier, France
| | - Laura Casanellas
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, Université de Montpellier and CNRS UMR 5221, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Arnaud Bourdin
- Inserm U1046, Université de Montpellier, Respiratory Disease, CHU Montpellier, 34295 Montpellier, France
| | - Gladys Massiera
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, Université de Montpellier and CNRS UMR 5221, 34095 Montpellier, France
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3
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Castellani S, Trapani A, Elisiana Carpagnano G, Cotoia A, Laselva O, Pia Foschino Barbaro M, Corbo F, Cinnella G, De Giglio E, Larobina D, Di Gioia S, Conese M. Mucopenetration study of solid lipid nanoparticles containing magneto sensitive iron oxide. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2022; 178:94-104. [PMID: 35926759 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2022.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
In most chronic respiratory diseases, excessive viscous airway secretions oppose a formidable permeation barrier to drug delivery systems (DDSs), with a limit to their therapeutic efficacy for the targeting epithelium. Since mucopenetration of DDSs with slippery technology (i.e. PEGylation) has encountered a reduction in the presence of sticky and complex airway secretions, our aim was to evaluate the relevance of magnetic PEGylated Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (mSLNs) for pulling them through chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) airway secretions. Thus, COPD sputum from outpatient clinic, respiratory secretions aspirated from high (HI) and low (LO) airways of COPD patients in acute respiratory insufficiency, and porcine gastric mucus (PGM) were investigated for their permeability to mSLN particles under a magnetic field. Rheological tests and mSLN adhesion to airway epithelial cells (AECs) were also investigated. The results of mucopenetration show that mSLNs are permeable both in PGM sputum and in COPD, while HI and LO secretions are always impervious. Parallel rheological results show a different elastic property, which can be associated with different mucus mesostructures. Finally, adhesion tests confirm the role of the magnetic field in improving the interaction of SLNs with epithelial cells. Overall, our results reveal that mesostructure is of paramount importance in determining the mucopenetration of magnetic SLNs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Castellani
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Italy
| | - Adriana Trapani
- Department of Pharmacy-Drug Sciences, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | | | - Antonella Cotoia
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Onofrio Laselva
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | | | - Filomena Corbo
- Department of Pharmacy-Drug Sciences, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Gilda Cinnella
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Elvira De Giglio
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Domenico Larobina
- Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials - National Research Council of Italy, Portici (Naples), Italy
| | - Sante Di Gioia
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Massimo Conese
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
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4
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Enhanced microscopic dynamics in mucus gels under a mechanical load in the linear viscoelastic regime. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2103995118. [PMID: 34728565 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2103995118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Mucus is a biological gel covering the surface of several tissues and ensuring key biological functions, including as a protective barrier against dehydration, pathogen penetration, or gastric acids. Mucus biological functioning requires a finely tuned balance between solid-like and fluid-like mechanical response, ensured by reversible bonds between mucins, the glycoproteins that form the gel. In living organisms, mucus is subject to various kinds of mechanical stresses, e.g., due to osmosis, bacterial penetration, coughing, and gastric peristalsis. However, our knowledge of the effects of stress on mucus is still rudimentary and mostly limited to macroscopic rheological measurements, with no insight into the relevant microscopic mechanisms. Here, we run mechanical tests simultaneously to measurements of the microscopic dynamics of pig gastric mucus. Strikingly, we find that a modest shear stress, within the macroscopic rheological linear regime, dramatically enhances mucus reorganization at the microscopic level, as signaled by a transient acceleration of the microscopic dynamics, by up to 2 orders of magnitude. We rationalize these findings by proposing a simple, yet general, model for the dynamics of physical gels under strain and validate its assumptions through numerical simulations of spring networks. These results shed light on the rearrangement dynamics of mucus at the microscopic scale, with potential implications in phenomena ranging from mucus clearance to bacterial and drug penetration.
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5
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Elastic and Dynamic Heterogeneity in Aging Alginate Gels. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:polym13213618. [PMID: 34771174 PMCID: PMC8587450 DOI: 10.3390/polym13213618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Anomalous aging in soft glassy materials has generated a great deal of interest because of some intriguing features of the underlying relaxation process, including the emergence of "ultra-long-range" dynamical correlations. An intriguing possibility is that such a huge correlation length is reflected in detectable ensemble fluctuations of the macroscopic material properties. We tackle this issue by performing replicated mechanical and dynamic light scattering (DLS) experiments on alginate gels, which recently emerged as a good model-system of anomalous aging. Here we show that some of the monitored quantities display wide variability, including large fluctuations in the stress relaxation and the occasional presence of two-step decay in the DLS decorrelation functions. By quantifying elastic fluctuation through the standard deviation of the elastic modulus and dynamic heterogeneities through the dynamic susceptibility, we find that both quantities do increase with the gel age over a comparable range. Our results suggest that large elastic fluctuations are closely related to ultra-long-range dynamical correlation, and therefore may be a general feature of anomalous aging in gels.
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6
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Piazza R, Campello M, Buzzaccaro S, Sciortino F. Phase Behavior and Microscopic Dynamics of a Thermosensitive Gel-Forming Polymer. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c02785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Piazza
- Department of Chemistry, Materials Science, and Chemical Engineering Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Marco Campello
- Department of Chemistry, Materials Science, and Chemical Engineering Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Stefano Buzzaccaro
- Department of Chemistry, Materials Science, and Chemical Engineering Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Francesco Sciortino
- Department of Physics, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, I-00185 Roma, Italy
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7
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Peters G, Wendler O, Böhringer D, Gostian AO, Müller SK, Canziani H, Hesse N, Semmler M, Berry DA, Kniesburges S, Peukert W, Döllinger M. Human Laryngeal Mucus from the Vocal Folds: Rheological Characterization by Particle Tracking Microrheology and Oscillatory Shear Rheology. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2021; 11. [PMID: 33850630 PMCID: PMC8041056 DOI: 10.3390/app11073011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Mucus consistency affects voice physiology and is connected to voice disorders. Nevertheless, the rheological characteristics of human laryngeal mucus from the vocal folds remain unknown. Knowledge about mucus viscoelasticity enables fabrication of artificial mucus with natural properties, more realistic ex-vivo experiments and promotes a better understanding and improved treatment of dysphonia with regard to mucus consistency. We studied human laryngeal mucus samples from the vocal folds with two complementary approaches: 19 samples were successfully applied to particle tracking microrheology (PTM) and five additional samples to oscillatory shear rheology (OSR). Mucus was collected by experienced laryngologists from patients together with demographic data. The analysis of the viscoelasticity revealed diversity among the investigated mucus samples according to their rigidity (absolute G′ and G″). Moreover some samples revealed throughout solid-like character (G′ > G″), whereas some underwent a change from solid-like to liquid-like (G′ < G″). This led to a subdivision into three groups. We assume that the reason for the differences is a variation in the hydration level of the mucus, which affects the mucin concentration and network formation factors of the mucin mesh. The demographic data could not be correlated to the differences, except for the smoking behavior. Mucus of predominant liquid-like character was associated with current smokers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregor Peters
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Div. of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Olaf Wendler
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Div. of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - David Böhringer
- Biophysics Group, Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Antoniu-Oreste Gostian
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sarina K Müller
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Herbert Canziani
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chair of Particle Technology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Nicolas Hesse
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chair of Particle Technology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Marion Semmler
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Div. of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - David A Berry
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Stefan Kniesburges
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Div. of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Peukert
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chair of Particle Technology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Michael Döllinger
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Div. of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
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8
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Bot A, Dewi BPC, Venema P. Phase-Separating Binary Polymer Mixtures: The Degeneracy of the Virial Coefficients and Their Extraction from Phase Diagrams. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:7862-7878. [PMID: 33778298 PMCID: PMC7992149 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c00450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The Edmond-Ogston model for phase separation in binary polymer mixtures is based on a truncated virial expansion of the Helmholtz free energy up to the second-order terms in the concentration of the polymers. The second virial coefficients (B 11, B 12, B 22) are the three parameters of the model. Analytical solutions are presented for the critical point and the spinodal in terms of molar concentrations. The calculation of the binodal is simplified by splitting the problem into a part that can be solved analytically and a (two-dimensional) problem that generally needs to be solved numerically, except in some specific cases. The slope of the tie-lines is identified as a suitable parameter that can be varied between two well-defined limits (close to and far away from the critical point) to perform the numerical part of the calculation systematically. Surprisingly, the analysis reveals a degenerate behavior within the model in the sense that a critical point or tie-line corresponds to an infinite set of triplets of second virial coefficients (B 11, B 12, B 22). Since the Edmond-Ogston model is equivalent to the Flory-Huggins model up to the second order of the expansion in the concentrations, this degeneracy is also present in the Flory-Huggins model. However, as long as the virial coefficients predict the correct critical point, the shape of the binodal is relatively insensitive to the specific choice of the virial coefficients, except in a narrow range of values for the cross-virial coefficient B 12.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjen Bot
- Laboratory
of Physics and Physical Chemistry of Foods, Department of Agrotechnology
and Food Sciences, Wageningen University
and Research, Bornse Weilanden 9, NL-6708 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Unilever
Foods Innovation Centre, Bronland 14, NL-6708 WH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Belinda P. C. Dewi
- Laboratory
of Physics and Physical Chemistry of Foods, Department of Agrotechnology
and Food Sciences, Wageningen University
and Research, Bornse Weilanden 9, NL-6708 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Paul Venema
- Laboratory
of Physics and Physical Chemistry of Foods, Department of Agrotechnology
and Food Sciences, Wageningen University
and Research, Bornse Weilanden 9, NL-6708 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands
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9
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Pastore R, Siviello C, Greco F, Larobina D. Anomalous Aging and Stress Relaxation in Macromolecular Physical Gels: The Case of Strontium Alginate. Macromolecules 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.9b01953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Raffaele Pastore
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università di Napoli Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125 Napoli, Italy
| | - Ciro Siviello
- Institute for Polymers, Composites, and Biomaterials, National Research Council of Italy, P.le E. Fermi 1, 80055 Portici, NA, Italy
| | - Francesco Greco
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università di Napoli Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125 Napoli, Italy
| | - Domenico Larobina
- Institute for Polymers, Composites, and Biomaterials, National Research Council of Italy, P.le E. Fermi 1, 80055 Portici, NA, Italy
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10
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Rementzi K, Böni LJ, Adamcik J, Fischer P, Vlassopoulos D. Structure and dynamics of hagfish mucin in different saline environments. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:8627-8637. [PMID: 31631202 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm00971j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The defense mechanism of hagfish against predators is based on its ability to form slime within a few milliseconds. Hagfish slime consists of two main components, namely mucin-like glycoproteins and long protein threads, which together entrap vast amounts of water and thus form a highly dilute hydrogel. Here, we investigate the mucin part of this hydrogel, in particular the role of the saline marine environment on the viscoelasticity and structure. By means of dynamic light scattering (DLS), shear and extensional rheology we probe the diffusion dynamics, the flow behavior, and the longest filament breaking time of hagfish mucin solutions. Using DLS we find a concentration-independent diffusion coefficient - characteristic for polyelectrolytes - up to the entanglement regime of 0.2 mg ml-1, which is about ten times higher than the natural concentration of hagfish mucin in hagfish slime. We also observe a slow relaxation process associated with clustering, probably due to electrostatic interactions. Shear rheology further revealed that hagfish mucin possesses pronounced viscoelastic properties at high concentrations (3 mg ml-1), showing that mucin alone achieves mechanical properties similar to those of natural hagfish slime (mucins and protein threads). The main effects of added seawater salts, and predominantly CaCl2 is to reduce the intensity of the slow relaxation process, which suggests that calcium ions lead to an ionotropic gelation of hagfish mucins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Rementzi
- FORTH, Institute of Electronic Structure & Laser, N. Plastira 100, 70013 Heraklion, Greece.
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11
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Parlato RM, Greco F, Maffettone PL, Larobina D. Effect of pH on the viscoelastic properties of pig gastric mucus. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2019; 98:195-199. [PMID: 31254906 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2019.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Mucus is a biomaterial with peculiar, gel-like viscoelastic properties, and bearing different functionalities, depending on the different mucosae it covers. It is clear that these functionalities have to stay effective throughout the in vivo broad range of physiological pH values at which the mucus is exposed. We sought here to determine the effect of pH on the rheological properties of ex vivo mucus. We demonstrate that viscoelastic properties of gastric mucus are quite "stable" to pH changes, in marked contrast with the pH sensitivity of purified mucin gels. We also find that the rheological features of porcine gastric mucus are reversible when the system is first alkalized up to solubilization (pH > 8.5) and then re-acidified to its initial pH value.
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Affiliation(s)
- R M Parlato
- Department of Chemical, Materials, and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Napoli Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125, Napoli, Italy
| | - F Greco
- Department of Chemical, Materials, and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Napoli Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125, Napoli, Italy
| | - P L Maffettone
- Department of Chemical, Materials, and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Napoli Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125, Napoli, Italy
| | - D Larobina
- Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials - National Research Council of Italy, P.le E. Fermi 1, 80055, Portici (NA), Italy.
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12
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Cherstvy AG, Thapa S, Wagner CE, Metzler R. Non-Gaussian, non-ergodic, and non-Fickian diffusion of tracers in mucin hydrogels. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:2526-2551. [PMID: 30734041 DOI: 10.1039/c8sm02096e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Native mucus is polymer-based soft-matter material of paramount biological importance. How non-Gaussian and non-ergodic is the diffusive spreading of pathogens in mucus? We study the passive, thermally driven motion of micron-sized tracers in hydrogels of mucins, the main polymeric component of mucus. We report the results of the Bayesian analysis for ranking several diffusion models for a set of tracer trajectories [C. E. Wagner et al., Biomacromolecules, 2017, 18, 3654]. The models with "diffusing diffusivity", fractional and standard Brownian motion are used. The likelihood functions and evidences of each model are computed, ranking the significance of each model for individual traces. We find that viscoelastic anomalous diffusion is often most probable, followed by Brownian motion, while the model with a diffusing diffusion coefficient is only realised rarely. Our analysis also clarifies the distribution of time-averaged displacements, correlations of scaling exponents and diffusion coefficients, and the degree of non-Gaussianity of displacements at varying pH levels. Weak ergodicity breaking is also quantified. We conclude that-consistent with the original study-diffusion of tracers in the mucin gels is most non-Gaussian and non-ergodic at low pH that corresponds to the most heterogeneous networks. Using the Bayesian approach with the nested-sampling algorithm, together with the quantitative analysis of multiple statistical measures, we report new insights into possible physical mechanisms of diffusion in mucin gels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey G Cherstvy
- Institute for Physics & Astronomy, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
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13
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Abstract
We review what is currently understood about how the structure of the primary solid component of mucus, the glycoprotein mucin, gives rise to the mechanical and biochemical properties of mucus that are required for it to perform its diverse physiological roles. Macroscale processes such as lubrication require mucus of a certain stiffness and spinnability, which are set by structural features of the mucin network, including the identity and density of cross-links and the degree of glycosylation. At the microscale, these same features affect the mechanical environment experienced by small particles and play a crucial role in establishing an interaction-based filter. Finally, mucin glycans are critical for regulating microbial interactions, serving as receptor binding sites for adhesion, as nutrient sources, and as environmental signals. We conclude by discussing how these structural principles can be used in the design of synthetic mucin-mimetic materials and provide suggestions for directions of future work in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- C E Wagner
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - K M Wheeler
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA;
- Microbiology Graduate Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - K Ribbeck
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA;
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