POLY 632 |
| Hyaluronic acid (also referred to as HA or hyaluronan) is a linear, unbranched polysaccharide made of alternating N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and D-glucuronic acid monomers. HA is ubiquitous in human and animal tissues, where it has significant structural, rheological, physiological, and biological functions. HA's distinctive viscoelastic properties, coupled with its lack of immunogenicity or toxicity, have led to a wide range of applications in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries including skin moisturizers, osteoarthritis treatment, ophthalmic surgery, adhesion prevention after abdominal surgery, and wound healing. At present, the annual worldwide market for HA is over $1 billion. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is currently obtained commercially from rooster combs, and certain strains of Streptococcus that synthesize this biopolymer to form a non-immunogenic outer capsule. However, these are less than ideal sources. Recovery of HA from rooster combs necessitates extensive purification to remove antigenic avian proteins, while capsule-producing Streptococci are fastidious organisms that can be expensive to grow, are natively pathogenic, and have the potential to produce exotoxins. Thus, it would be advantageous to develop an alternative host for producing HA that avoids these complications. Here we report the use of recombinant Bacillus subtilis strains as a new, preferred source of HA. B. subtilis-derived HA was shown to be secreted and of high quality, comparable to other commercially available sources. Moreover, the unique production process relies on defined recovery steps, during which no organic solvents are used, followed by spray-drying. This leads to the production of a very fine HA powder composed of micro- and nanospheres. Clinical tests have shown that HA produced by fermentation of Bacillus subtilis exhibits advantageous moisturizing, anti-wrinkle and skin elasticity properties. Overall, recombinant B. subtilis strains offer a new, competitive production system for the large-scale manufacture of HA with unique features for cosmetic and biomedical applications.
|
|
Biocatalysis in Polymer Science
1:30 PM-4:45 PM, Wednesday, 13 September 2006 San Francisco Marriott -- Salon 12/13, Oral
Division of Polymer Chemistry |