Extraction and Characterization of Collagen from Elasmobranch Byproducts for Potential Biomaterial Use

Abstract

With the worldwide increase of fisheries, fish wastes have had a similar increase, alternatively they can be seen as a source of novel substances for the improvement of society’s wellbeing. Elasmobranchs are a subclass fished in high amounts, with some species being mainly bycatch. They possess an endoskeleton composed mainly by cartilage, from which chondroitin sulfate is currently obtained. Their use as a viable source for extraction of type II collagen has been hypothesized with the envisaging of a biomedical application, namely in biomaterials production. In the present work, raw cartilage from shark (Prionace glauca) and ray (Zeachara chilensis and Bathyraja brachyurops) was obtained from a fish processing company and submitted to acidic and enzymatic extractions, to produce acid-soluble collagen (ASC) and pepsin-soluble collagen (PSC). From all the extractions, P. glauca PSC had the highest yield (3.5%), followed by ray ASC (0.92%), ray PSC (0.50%), and P. glauca ASC (0.15%). All the extracts showed similar properties, with the SDS-PAGE profiles being compatible with the presence of both type I and type II collagens. Moreover, the collagen extracts exhibited the competence to maintain their conformation at human basal temperature, presenting a denaturation temperature higher than 37 °C. Hydrogels were produced using P. glauca PSC combined with shark chondroitin sulfate, with the objective of mimicking the human cartilage extracellular matrix. These hydrogels were cohesive and structurally-stable at 37 °C, with rheological measurements exhibiting a conformation of an elastic solid when submitted to shear strain with a frequency up to 4 Hz. This work revealed a sustainable strategy for the valorization of fisheries’ by-products, within the concept of a circular economy, consisting of the use of P. glauca, Z. chilensis, and B. brachyurops cartilage for the extraction of collagen, which would be further employed in the development of hydrogels as a proof of concept of its biotechnological potential, ultimately envisaging its use in marine biomaterials to regenerate damaged cartilaginous tissues.

Diet Supplementation with Fish-Derived Extracts Suppresses Diabetes and Modulates Intestinal Microbiome in a Murine Model of Diet-Induced Obesity

“…Notably, fish-derived collagen constitutes an intriguing alternative to mammalian collagen in terms of dietary supplementation, as the latter has been suggested to exert some side-effects, such as allergies and disease transmission, and marine collagen is produced by by-products of fisheries [ 20 ]. Thus, there has been an increasing interest in developing sustainable ways of producing collagen of marine origin with the potential for biomedical or biomaterial use [ 21 , 22 ]. The combination of fish collagen with fish-derived extracts on type 2 diabetes and obesity, as well as their impact on the microbiome has not been previously investigated.…”

Extraction of Type I Collagen from Tilapia Scales Using Acetic Acid and Ultrafine Bubbles

“…However, further investigation is needed to determine how EDTA affects the conformation of the triple helical structure of collagen. As reported by Seixas et al, type II collagen was extracted without affecting the triple helix conformation after demineralization of cartilage [50].…”

Fish Waste: From Problem to Valuable Resource

“…It allowed human mesenchymal stem cells to grow and to be responsive to the osteogenic stimuli [ 74 ]. Moreover, collagen from raw cartilage from shark ( Prionace glauca ) and ray ( Zeachara chilensis and Bathyraja brachyurops ) has been shown to possess promising properties and biotechnological potential in order to regenerate damaged cartilaginous tissues [ 75 ]. Cao et al [ 76 ] produced a scaffold-controlled release system for tissue skin engineering based on collagen/chitosan.…”

“… Tissue-engineeredoral mucosa 1% weight/volume [ 71 , 99 ] Collagen/polyvinyl alcohol Not specified Oreochromis sp. Human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (HPDLFs), gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) Not specified [ 72 ] Collagen Scales Oreochromis niloticus Bone regeneration 0.3%, weight/volume [ 73 ] Collagen Skin Salmo salar Bone tissue engineering 0.2–2.5 mg/mL [ 74 ] Collagen Cartilage Prionace glauca Zeachara chilensis Bathyraja brachyurops Bioscaffold Not specified [ 75 ] Collagen/chitosan Skin Hypophthalmichthys molitrix Skin regeneration Not specified [ 76 ] Collagen Skin Oreochromis niloticus …”