Biocompatibility of potential wound management products: Fungal mycelia as a source of chitin/chitosan and their effect on the proliferation of human F1000 fibroblasts in culture

✍ Scribed by Chung, Lip Yong ;Schmidt, Richard J. ;Hamlyn, Paul F. ;Sagar, Brian F. ;Andrew, Andrea M. ;Turner, Terence D.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1994
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 651 KB
• Volume: 28
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-9304
• DOI: 10.1002/jbm.820280409

✦ Synopsis

Aspergillus oryzae, Mucor mucedo, and Phycomyces blakesleeanus cultures were examined as sources of chitidchitosan. The nitrogen content of the alkali-treated mycelia/sporangiophores of A. oryzae, M. mucedo, and P. blakesleeanus was 2.52, 3.61, and 6.27% w/w, which relates to an estimated chitin content of 37, 52, and 91%, respectively. The effect of these fungal materials on the rate of proliferation of human FlOOO fibroblasts in culture was examined. At 0.01% w/v, all three materials exhibited significant ( P < .05) proproliferant activity over a period of 13 days. However, at 0.05% w/v, P. blakesleeanus further enhanced cell proliferation, whereas A. oryzae and M . mucedo produced a significant ( P < .05) antiproliferant effect. Higher I' concentrations of P. blakesleeanus (0.1 and 0.5%) caused marked inhibition of FlOOO cell proliferation when measured on days 3 and 6. Only the proproliferant effect of these fungal materials appears to correlate to their chitin content. Furthermore, the cytomorphology of the fibroblasts indicated that P. blakesleeanus, and to a lesser extent M . mucedo, possessed cell attractant properties, again correlating with chitin content. If developed for use as wound management materials, the sporangiophores of P. blakesleeanus and the mycelium of M . mucedo could possibly promote the growth of fibroblasts and provide a matrix for their anchorage, thus contributing to the granulation phase of the healing cascade. o 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.