National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
Center for Advanced Materials Research, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, 519087, China.
Small. 2024 Nov;20(47):e2403667. doi: 10.1002/smll.202403667. Epub 2024 Aug 15.
Achieving the delicate balance required for both emulsion and gel characteristics, while also imparting biological functionality in gelled emulsions, poses a significant challenge. Herein, we report on Pickering emulsion biogels formed by novel biological nanofibrils assembled from natural glutathione (GSH) and a tripod cholic acid derivative (TCA) via electrostatic interactions. GSH, composed of tripeptides with carboxyl groups, facilitates the protonation and dissolution of TCA compounds in water and the electrostatic interactions between GSH and TCA trigger nanofibrillar assembly. Fibrous nuclei initially emerge, and the formed mature nanofibrils can generate a stable hydrogel at a low solid concentration. These nanofibrils exhibit efficient emulsifying capability, enabling the preparation of stable Pickering oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion gels with adjustable phase volume ratios. The entangled nanofibrils adsorbed at the oil-water interface restrict droplet movement, imparting viscoelasticity and injectability to the emulsions. Remarkably, the biocompatible nanofibrils and stabilized emulsion gels demonstrate promising scavenging properties against reactive oxygen species (ROS). This strategy may open new scenarios for the design of advanced emulsion gel materials using natural precursors and affordable building blocks for biomedical applications.
实现乳液和凝胶特性所需的精细平衡，同时在凝胶乳液中赋予生物功能，这是一个巨大的挑战。在这里，我们报告了由新型生物纳米纤维形成的 Pickering 乳液生物凝胶，这些纳米纤维由通过静电相互作用组装自天然谷胱甘肽（GSH）和三脚架胆酸衍生物（TCA）。由带有羧基的三肽组成的 GSH 促进 TCA 化合物在水中的质子化和溶解，并且 GSH 和 TCA 之间的静电相互作用触发纳米纤维组装。最初出现纤维核，形成的成熟纳米纤维可以在低固体浓度下生成稳定的水凝胶。这些纳米纤维具有高效的乳化能力，能够制备具有可调相体积比的稳定 Pickering 油包水（O/W）乳液凝胶。吸附在油水界面上的缠结纳米纤维限制了液滴的运动，赋予乳液粘弹性和可注射性。值得注意的是，生物相容性纳米纤维和稳定的乳液凝胶对活性氧（ROS）表现出有希望的清除特性。该策略可能为使用天然前体和经济实惠的构建块设计用于生物医学应用的先进乳液凝胶材料开辟新的场景。
