Potentially Immunogenic Contaminants in Wood-Based and Bacterial Nanocellulose: Assessment of Endotoxin and (1,3)-β-d-Glucan Levels

Biomacromolecules. 2018 Jan 8;19(1):150-157. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.7b01334. Epub 2017 Dec 7.

Abstract

Knowledge gaps in the biosafety data of the nanocellulose (NC) for biomedical use through various routes of administration call for closer look at health and exposure evaluation. This work evaluated the potentially immunogenic contaminants levels, for example, endotoxin and (1,3)-β-d-glucan, in four representative NCs, that is, wood-based NCs and bacterial cellulose (BC). The hot-water extracts were analyzed with ELISA assays, HPSEC-MALLS, GC, and NMR analysis. Varying levels of endotoxin and (1,3)-β-d-glucan contaminats were found in these widely used NCs. Although the β-(1,3)-d-glucan was not detected from the NMR spectra due to the small extract samples amount (2-7 mg), the anomerics and highly diastereotopic 6-CH2 signals may suggest the presence of β-(1,4)-linkages with β-(1,6) branching in the polysaccharides of NCs' hot-water extracts, which were otherwise not detectable in the enzymatic assay. In all, the article highlights the importance of monitoring various water-soluble potentially immunogenic contaminants in NC for biomedical use.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacteria / metabolism*
  • Cellulose / chemistry*
  • Chromatography, Gas
  • Chromatography, Gel
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Endotoxins / metabolism*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Glucans / metabolism*
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Nanotechnology*
  • Wood / chemistry*

Substances

  • Endotoxins
  • Glucans
  • Cellulose