Poly(ethylene glycol) and Cyclodextrin-Grafted Chitosan: From Methodologies to Preparation and Potential Biotechnological Applications

Abstract

Chitosan, a polyaminosaccharide obtained by alkaline deacetylation of chitin, possesses useful properties including biodegradability, biocompatibility, low toxicity, and good miscibility with other polymers. It is extensively used in many applications in biology, medicine, agriculture, environmental protection, and the food and pharmaceutical industries. The amino and hydroxyl groups present in the chitosan backbone provide positions for modifications that are influenced by factors such as the molecular weight, viscosity, and type of chitosan, as well as the reaction conditions. The modification of chitosan by chemical methods is of interest because the basic chitosan skeleton is not modified and the process results in new or improved properties of the material. Among the chitosan derivatives, cyclodextrin-grafted chitosan and poly(ethylene glycol)-grafted chitosan are excellent candidates for a range of biomedical, environmental decontamination, and industrial purposes. This work discusses modifications including chitosan with attached cyclodextrin and poly(ethylene glycol), and the main applications of these chitosan derivatives in the biomedical field.

Modification of Chitosan for the Generation of Functional Derivatives

“…This statement was validated on Human Embryonic Kidney cells (Hek293) and the results revealed an improvement of solubility and disponibility, and no significant cytotoxicity. Cross-linking reactions between CS, COS, or CS derivatives with other polymers, synthetic and/or natural oligo-or polymers, open the way to unlimited applications, as reported by many authors, with recent examples for pectin [189], poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) [190], Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and cyclodextrin [191,192], C-phycocyanin [193], or Poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) [194]. Finally, CS users interested in biomedical and pharmaceutical applications should keep in mind that the possibilities of design are unlimited, obviously maintaining the essential physicochemical, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and biosolubility properties (in particular in vivo).…”

Design of Immobilized Enzyme Biocatalysts: Drawbacks and Opportunities

“…This biopolymer has several amine groups which gives it many chemical and biological applications in various areas. [166][167][168][169][170] Chitosan can be used as a support matrix in enzyme immobilization processes, such as chitosan beads produced with 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (A) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (B) for removal of the Malachite green dye in aqueous solutions. The chitosan beads were used in the work because they present a larger contact surface compared to pure chitosan.…”

Cyclodextrins-Peptides/Proteins Conjugates: Synthesis, Properties and Applications

“…Cyclodextrin polymers (PolyCD) are characterised by high molecular weights and solubility or insolubility in water [52,53]. Nowadays, the PolyCD can be divided into three main groups: cross-linked [54,55], grafted [56], and poly(pseudo)rotaxanes [57]. These systems can be applied in conjugation with peptide as they have many multiplied reactive groups.…”