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Veiga A, Foster O, Kaplan DL, Oliveira AL. Expanding the boundaries of silk sericin biomaterials in biomedical applications. J Mater Chem B 2024; 12:7020-7040. [PMID: 38935038 DOI: 10.1039/d4tb00386a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Silk sericin (SS) has a long history as a by-product of the textile industry. SS has emerged as a sustainable material for biomedical engineering due to its material properties including water solubility, diverse impact on biological activities including antibacterial and antioxidant properties, and ability to promote cell adhesion and proliferation. This review addresses the origin, structure, properties, extraction, and underlying functions of this protein. An overview of the growing research studies and market evolution is presented, along with highlights of the most common fabrication matrices (hydrogels, bioinks, porous and fibrous scaffolds) and tissue engineering applications. Finally, the future trends with this protein as a multifaceted toolbox for bioengineering are explored, along with the challenges with SS. Overall, the present review can serve as a foundation for the creation of innovative biomaterials utilizing SS as a fundamental building block that hold market potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anabela Veiga
- CBQF-Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina-Laboratório Associado, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology & Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, R. Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby St., Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Olivia Foster
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby St., Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - David L Kaplan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby St., Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Ana Leite Oliveira
- ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
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Veiga A, Silva IV, Dias JR, Alves NM, Oliveira AL, Ribeiro VP. Streamlining Skin Regeneration: A Ready-To-Use Silk Bilayer Wound Dressing. Gels 2024; 10:439. [PMID: 39057462 PMCID: PMC11276312 DOI: 10.3390/gels10070439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Silk proteins have been highlighted in the past decade for tissue engineering (TE) and skin regeneration due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and exceptional mechanical properties. While silk fibroin (SF) has high structural and mechanical stability with high potential as an external protective layer, traditionally discarded sericin (SS) has shown great potential as a natural-based hydrogel, promoting cell-cell interactions, making it an ideal material for direct wound contact. In this context, the present study proposes a new wound dressing approach by developing an SS/SF bilayer construct for full-thickness exudative wounds. The processing methodology implemented included an innovation element and the cryopreservation of the SS intrinsic secondary structure, followed by rehydration to produce a hydrogel layer, which was integrated with a salt-leached SF scaffold to produce a bilayer structure. In addition, a sterilization protocol was developed using supercritical technology (sCO2) to allow an industrial scale-up. The resulting bilayer material presented high porosity (>85%) and interconnectivity while promoting cell adhesion, proliferation, and infiltration of human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). SS and SF exhibit distinct secondary structures, pore sizes, and swelling properties, opening new possibilities for dual-phased systems that accommodate the different needs of a wound during the healing process. The innovative SS hydrogel layer highlights the transformative potential of the proposed bilayer system for biomedical therapeutics and TE, offering insights into novel wound dressing fabrication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anabela Veiga
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF—Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina—Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal; (A.V.); (I.V.S.); (V.P.R.)
- LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology & Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE—Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Inês V. Silva
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF—Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina—Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal; (A.V.); (I.V.S.); (V.P.R.)
| | - Juliana R. Dias
- Centre for Rapid and Sustainable Product Development, Instituto Politécnico de Leiria, 2430-028 Marinha Grande, Portugal; (J.R.D.); (N.M.A.)
| | - Nuno M. Alves
- Centre for Rapid and Sustainable Product Development, Instituto Politécnico de Leiria, 2430-028 Marinha Grande, Portugal; (J.R.D.); (N.M.A.)
| | - Ana L. Oliveira
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF—Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina—Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal; (A.V.); (I.V.S.); (V.P.R.)
| | - Viviana P. Ribeiro
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF—Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina—Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal; (A.V.); (I.V.S.); (V.P.R.)
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Saad M, El-Samad LM, Gomaa RA, Augustyniak M, Hassan MA. A comprehensive review of recent advances in silk sericin: Extraction approaches, structure, biochemical characterization, and biomedical applications. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 250:126067. [PMID: 37524279 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126067] [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: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Silks are natural polymers that have been widely used for centuries. Silk consists of a filament core protein, termed fibroin, and a glue-like coating substance formed of sericin (SER) proteins. This protein is extracted from the silkworm cocoons (particularly Bombyx mori) and is mainly composed of amino acids like glycine, serine, aspartic acid, and threonine. Silk SER can be obtained using numerous methods, including enzymatic extraction, high-temperature, autoclaving, ethanol precipitation, cross-linking, and utilizing acidic, alkali, or neutral aqueous solutions. Given the versatility and outstanding properties of SER, it is widely fabricated to produce sponges, films, and hydrogels for further use in diverse biomedical applications. Hence, many authors reported that SER benefits cell proliferation, tissue engineering, and skin tissue restoration thanks to its moisturizing features, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and mitogenic effect on mammalian cells. Remarkably, SER is used in drug delivery depending on its chemical reactivity and pH-responsiveness. These unique features of SER enhance the bioactivity of drugs, facilitating the fabrication of biomedical materials at nano- and microscales, hydrogels, and conjugated molecules. This review thoroughly outlines the extraction techniques, biological properties, and respective biomedical applications of SER.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa Saad
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Lamia M El-Samad
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Rehab A Gomaa
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Maria Augustyniak
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
| | - Mohamed A Hassan
- Protein Research Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute (GEBRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab City, 21934 Alexandria, Egypt.
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Sericultural By-Products: The Potential for Alternative Therapy in Cancer Drug Design. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 28:molecules28020850. [PMID: 36677907 PMCID: PMC9861160 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28020850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Major progress has been made in cancer research; however, cancer remains one of the most important health-related burdens. Sericulture importance is no longer limited to the textile industry, but its by-products, such as silk fibroin or mulberry, exhibit great impact in the cancer research area. Fibroin, the pivotal compound that is found in silk, owns superior biocompatibility and biodegradability, representing one of the most important biomaterials. Numerous studies have reported its successful use as a drug delivery system, and it is currently used to develop three-dimensional tumor models that lead to a better understanding of cancer biology and play a great role in the development of novel antitumoral strategies. Moreover, sericin's cytotoxic effect on various tumoral cell lines has been reported, but also, it has been used as a nanocarrier for target therapeutic agents. On the other hand, mulberry compounds include various bioactive elements that are well known for their antitumoral activities, such as polyphenols or anthocyanins. In this review, the latest progress of using sericultural by-products in cancer therapy is discussed by highlighting their notable impact in developing novel effective drug strategies.
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Shabbirahmed AM, Sekar R, Gomez LA, Sekhar MR, Hiruthyaswamy SP, Basavegowda N, Somu P. Recent Developments of Silk-Based Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Applications: A Special Focus on the Advancement of 3D Printing. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:16. [PMID: 36648802 PMCID: PMC9844467 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8010016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Regenerative medicine has received potential attention around the globe, with improving cell performances, one of the necessary ideas for the advancements of regenerative medicine. It is crucial to enhance cell performances in the physiological system for drug release studies because the variation in cell environments between in vitro and in vivo develops a loop in drug estimation. On the other hand, tissue engineering is a potential path to integrate cells with scaffold biomaterials and produce growth factors to regenerate organs. Scaffold biomaterials are a prototype for tissue production and perform vital functions in tissue engineering. Silk fibroin is a natural fibrous polymer with significant usage in regenerative medicine because of the growing interest in leftovers for silk biomaterials in tissue engineering. Among various natural biopolymer-based biomaterials, silk fibroin-based biomaterials have attracted significant attention due to their outstanding mechanical properties, biocompatibility, hemocompatibility, and biodegradability for regenerative medicine and scaffold applications. This review article focused on highlighting the recent advancements of 3D printing in silk fibroin scaffold technologies for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma Musfira Shabbirahmed
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Agriculture and Biosciences, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences (Deemed-to-be University), Karunya Nagar, Coimbatore 641 114, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Rajkumar Sekar
- Department of Chemistry, Karpaga Vinayaga College of Engineering and Technology, GST Road, Chinna Kolambakkam, Chengalpattu 603308, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Levin Anbu Gomez
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Agriculture and Biosciences, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences (Deemed-to-be University), Karunya Nagar, Coimbatore 641 114, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Medidi Raja Sekhar
- Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Kebri Dehar University, Korahe Zone, Somali Region, Kebri Dehar 3060, Ethiopia
| | | | - Nagaraj Basavegowda
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea
| | - Prathap Somu
- Department of Bioengineering, Institute of Biotechnology, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (Deemed to be University), Chennai 600124, Tamil Nadu, India
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Zhou W, Weng Y, Liu Q, Wang C, Zhang YQ, Zhang X, Ye A. Dietary administration with hydrolyzed silk sericin improves the intestinal health of diabetic rats. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1074892. [PMID: 36960285 PMCID: PMC10027739 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1074892] [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: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Type II diabetes (T2D) is a global epidemic disease with an increased incidence and prevalence. Gut microbiota plays an important role in controlling T2D development. Dietary administration of prebiotics, probiotics, and drugs, including metformin, showed the regulatory impact on the change of gut microbiota, which is associated with the improvement of glucose tolerance. In this study, silk sericin was manufactured into hydrolyzed sericin peptide (HSP) powders as a dietary additive to investigate the effect on the gut microbiota of T2D model rats. The results indicated that the HSP-augmented dietary administration lowers the fast glucose level of diabetic rats, and HSP augmentation induces a change in the gut microbiota composition of T2D model rats toward the normal rats. Some key taxa, including Lactobacillus gasseri, were suggested to be involved in controlling T2D development. This finding provides new insight into developing sericin as functional food or therapeutic prebiotics against T2D in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenlin Zhou
- Institute of Sericulture and Tea, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yujie Weng
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Qian Liu
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Chonglong Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yu-Qing Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xing Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Xing Zhang
| | - Aihong Ye
- Institute of Sericulture and Tea, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Aihong Ye
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