A novel wound healing agent with anti-microbial properties: BSA-inorganic hybrid nanoflowers

Abstract

Bovine serum albumin (BSA), which has been used for a long time in medias for mammalian cell cultures, stimulates DNA syn- thesis and has a growth-stimulating effect. It leads to a consider- ation of the extracellular and intracellular actions of the molecule, and importantly the role of its interactions with numer- ous ligands or bioactive factors that influence the growth of cells in culture: these include hormones, growth factors, lipids, amino acids, metal ions, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. However, free proteins have some disadvantages, such as short lifetime in solution, inconvenient recovery and reusability, which strictly hinder their aforementioned applications. The study has been focused on the synthesis and characterization of BSA-inorganic hybrid nanoflowers (BSA-Nfs), then evaluating wound healing with anti-microbial properties. CCD-1072Sk fibroblast cell line was studied to observe effect of BSA-Nfs on wound healing. Firstly, cell proliferation was tested with 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol- 2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium to determine the best concentration of BSA-Nfs. Then, the spreading and migration capabilities of CCD-1072Sk fibroblasts were assessed using a scratch wound assay which measures the expansion of a cell population on sur- faces. Fibroblasts were treated with BSA free (2 ng/ml), BSA-Nfs (100 ng/ml), CuSO4(100 ng/ml) and Cu-Nfs(100 ng/ml). There was a non-significant, but marked increase in the number of cells present at 24 h in BSA-Nfs versus control and BSA free. Besides, the in vitro antimicrobial activities of the BSA nfs against Gram- positive and Gram-negative bacteria and C. albicans were deter- mined by the microbroth dilutions technique using the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute recommendations. BSA Nfs showed antimicrobial activity against S. epidermidis, E. faecalis, E. coli and K. pneumoniae with the MIC = 1250 lg/ml. How- ever, BSA-Nfs did not exhibit any activity on the yeast C. albi- cans in the study.