Interaction of Lysozyme with Poly(L-lysine)/Hyaluronic Acid Multilayers: An ATR-FTIR Study

Abstract

Polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEM) loaded with bioactive molecules such as proteins serve as excellent mimics of an extracellular matrix and may find applications in fields such as biomedicine and cell biology. A question which is crucial to the successful employment of PEMs is whether conformation and bioactivity of the loaded proteins is preserved. In this work, the polarized attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) technique is applied to investigate the conformation of the protein lysozyme (Lys) loaded into the poly(L-lysine)/hyaluronic acid (PLL/HA) multilayers. Spectra are taken from the protein in the PEMs coated onto an ATR crystal during protein adsorption and desorption. For comparison, a similar investigation is performed for the case of Lys in contact with the uncoated crystal. The study highlights the presence of both “tightly” and “poorly bound” Lys fractions in the PEM. These fractions differ in their conformation and release behavior from the PEM upon washing. Comparison of spectra recorded with different polarizations suggests preferential orientation of alpha helical structures, beta sheets and turns in the “tightly bound” Lys. In contrast, the “poorly bound” fraction shows isotropic orientation and its conformation is well preserved.

Chiral Supramolecular Hydrogel Enhanced Transdermal Delivery of Sodium Aescinate to Modulate M1 Macrophage Polarization Against Lymphedema

“…The transformation from a α‐helical to a β‐folded conformation of proteins in the skin is reflected by the change of peak location in amide bands, which increased the permeability of the keratinocytes to better drug molecules penetration. [ 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 ] As a result, the fact that L/DPFEG promoted drug penetration could be attributed to enhancing stratum corneum hydration and opening the keratin dense structure to reduce the barrier resistance. In addition to shielding the skin from external damage, the stratum corneum also maintains the skin with a constant resistance value.…”