Effects of the addition of hyaluronate segments with different chain lengths on the viscoelasticity of hyaluronic acid solutions

Abstract

The effects of the addition of sodium hyaluronate segments (sHA) with different chain lengths on the viscoelasticity of high molecular weight sodium hyaluronate (HA) aqueous solutions were studied. The additive effects of sHA depended on the chain length of sHA. Shorter sHA decreased storage (G') and loss (G") moduli, whereas longer sHA increased both moduli. In physiological saline, the effects of the addition of sHA depended on the chain length of sHA, as in aqueous solutions, except that shorter segments did not decrease both moduli. The effects of the addition of monosaccharides, i.e., N-acetyl glucosamine (GlcNAc) and sodium glucuronate (GlcANa), were also studied. Although GlcNAc increased G' and G", GlcANa decreased both moduli. A shift factor "A," which depended on chain-length effects, a sugar effect, and a salt effect, was developed to explain these additive effects quantitatively.

The analysis of intermolecular interactions in concentrated hyaluronan solutions suggest no evidence for chain–chain association

“…The absence of competitive inhibition of chain-chain interactions by HA #! -#' is compatible with the absence of any reduction of viscosity reported when short HA was added to full-length chains [19]. There was thus no evidence for chain-chain association by mechanisms such as hydrophobic patches contributing to the network properties.…”

“…The presence of inter-chain associations that might involve hydrophobic interactions were investigated under physiological conditions, in solvents of varying polarity and in the presence of chaotropic agents [9,[14][15][16][17]. Intermolecular chain-chain associations were also investigated using HA oligosaccharides as low-molecular-mass competitors of such interactions [3,18,19].…”

Viscoelastic behaviour effect of hyaluronic acid on reciprocating flow inside mini-channel

“…1,9 There are several studies on the rheological properties of HA and most of them study viscosity or viscoelasticity of HA solutions at different concentrations, molecular weight or type of solvent. [22][23][24][25][26][27] These studies mostly concentrated on deriving viscosity-shear rate dependencies, viscoelastic behaviour regarding concentration and molecular weight of HA solutions, intrinsic viscosity relationships to the concentration and molecular weight of HA, effect of HA chain interaction with other molecules (e.g. proteins or sodium chloride), temperature and solution pH on the rheological behaviour.…”

Mammalian Hyaluronan Synthases

“…HA has a simple structure, but exerts a broad spectrum of activities depending on its physical state. For example, the molecular size of HA determines its viscoelastic properties, its ability to form a matrix, and its hydration capacity (17,18). The biosynthesis of HA is critical in establishing its biological form, as both the concentration and chain length are primarily determined during this process.…”