Enhancement of Cell Behavior by the Polysaccharide Extract of Arthrospira and Potential Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Arthrospira is one of the most studied cyanobacteria and has been reported with practical applications. Among the substances derived from Arthrospira, polysaccharides have received relatively less attention than phycocyanins, though they have more abundant structural variations and specific properties. Herein, a new Arthrospira-derived sulfated polysaccharide was explored for its potential bioactive functions. The ability of this sulfated polysaccharide to promote the behavior of neural stem cells (NSCs) in three-dimensional hydrogel was examined for the first time. NSCs encapsulated in the sulfated polysaccharide-containing hydrogel showed better proliferation than the control hydrogel as well as a unique cell clustering behavior, i.e., formation of multicellular spherical clusters (40–60 μm). The sulfated polysaccharide, in an appropriate range of concentration (5 mg/mL), also maintained the stemness of NSCs in hydrogel and facilitated their differentiation. In addition, the potentials of the new sulfated polysaccharide as a coating material and as a component for drug carrier were verified. The sulfated polysaccharide-modified substrate exhibited superhydrophilicity (contact angle ~9) and promoted cell adhesion to the substrate. Composite nanoparticles composed of the sulfated polysaccharide and other differently charged polysaccharides were produced with an average diameter of ~240 nm and estimated drug loading of ~18%. The new Arthrospira-derived sulfated polysaccharide is a promising candidate for cell culture, surface-modification, and drug-delivery applications in the biomedical field.

Polysaccharide-Based Coatings as Drug Delivery Systems

“…Polyols (such as polyethylene glycol, sorbitol, and glycerol), sugars (such as honey, and glucose), and lipids (such as phospholipids, and monoglycerides) are the most frequently utilized plasticizers. Proper selection of a plasticizer for polysaccharide-based coatings is important due to the fact that the coatings can undergo significant changes in their physicochemical properties [ 30 ].…”

“…Additionally, several polysaccharides have innate bioactivity, which makes them promising for use in drug delivery systems. Concretely, polysaccharides are a diverse class of polymeric biomaterials of natural origin that are formed through glycosidic linkages of monosaccharides [ 30 ]. Polysaccharides can have either a linear or branched structure, depending on the type of monosaccharide unit they contain.…”