Synthesis of GTMAC modified chitin-PAA gel and evaluation of its biological properties

Abstract The dressing prepared from GTMAC modified chitin–PAA was introduced with the aim of facilitating wound healing, particularly those effectively absorbing exudates, maintaining a moist wound environment and controlling bacterial proliferation. Chitin was chemically modified with acrylic acid to encourage a moist wound healing environment. The highly water‐absorbable resulting product (chitin–PAA) was further reacted with glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride (GTMAC) to impart antibacterial activities. The final product, chitin–PAA–GTMAC was characterized by the techniques of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), solid state 15 N NMR, and elemental analysis. Their cytotoxicity and antibacterial activities against S. epidermidis and E. coli were evaluated which found increasing effects in those properties with increasing degree substitution of GTMAC. All materials also showed good blood‐clotting ability. The collagen gel contraction assay was used to analyze the behavior of fibroblasts after contact with the gels. The extent of the gel contraction as well as the examination of the secreted interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) and transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1) were investigated. The results showed that chitin‐PAA modified with GTMAC could stimulate the production of IL‐8, but TGF‐β1. Fibroblasts presented normal spreading and formation of cellular processes in the collagen gels with all of the modifications. Furthermore, all modified gels except for the highest GTMAC content gel [chitin–PAA–GTMAC (1:20)] were found a greater extent in gel contraction than the unmodified chitin–PAA. It suggested the promoting effect of GTMAC on cell proliferation if the GTMAC content in the gel was not too high, that is, the mole ratio of glucosamine to GTMAC of the gel should not greater than 1:10. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A:, 2011.