In vitro biocompatibility screening of a colloidal gum Arabic-polyaniline conducting nanocomposite

Author(s)

Goncalves, Jenifer Pendiuk ^[1] ; de Oliveira, Carolina Camargo ^[1] ; Trindade, Edvaldo da Silva ^[1] ; Riegel-Vidotti, Izabel Cristina ^[2] ; Vidotti, Marcio ^[2] ; Simas, Fernanda Fogagnoli ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Parana UFPR, Cell Biol Dept, Sect Biol Sci, Lab Inflammatory & Neoplast Cells, Lab Sulfated Po, Av Cel Francisco H dos Santos S-N, BR-81530980 Curitiba, Parana - Brazil

^[2] UFPR, Dept Chem, Macromol & Interfaces Res Grp, Av Cel Francisco H dos Santos S-N, BR-81530980 Curitiba, Parana - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules; v. 173, p. 109-117, MAR 15 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Although polyaniline (PANI) is a widely investigated conductive polymer for biological applications, studies addressing the biocompatibility of colloidal PANI dispersions are scarcely found in the literature of the area. Therefore, PANI nanoparticles stabilized by the natural polysaccharide gum Arabic (GA) were screened for their biocompatibility. The GA successfully stabilized the colloidal PANI-GA dispersions when exposed to a protein-rich medium, showing compatibility with the biological environment. The results obtained from a series of in vitro assays showed that, after up to 48 h of exposure to a range of PANI-GA concentrations (1-50 mu g/mL), both mouse BALB/3T3 fibroblasts and RAW 264.7 macrophages showed no evidence of change in cellular proliferation, viability and metabolic activity. An increase in macrophage granularity poses as evidence of phagocytic uptake of PANI-GA, without resulting activation of this cell type. Additionally, the PANI-GA nanoparticles modulated the cell morphology changes induced on fibroblasts by GA in a concentration-dependent manner. Thus, this unprecedented biocompatibility study of PANI nanoparticles stabilized by a plant gum exudate polysaccharide showed promising results. This simple biomaterial might be further developed into colloidal formulations for biological and biomedical applications, taking advantage of its versatility, biocompatibility, and conductive properties. (C) 2021 Published by Elsevier B.V. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/50867-3 - INCT 2014: National Institute of Science and Technology in Bioanalysis
• Grantee: Marco Aurelio Zezzi Arruda
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants