Interpolymer interaction in insulin-chitosan complexes

ABSTRACT

Our team conducted theoretical calculations and experimental studies of interpolymer interactions in insulin-chitosan complexes based on the spatial orientation of chitosan and insulin macromolecules using Langmuir film balance at various pH values. The most optimal conditions for interpolymer interactions between insulin and chitosan chains occur at pH value of 5.4, which corresponds to the isoelectric point of insulin. For the similar pH values of 4.2 and 6.0, the free energy of coordination between chitosan and insulin was estimated by molecular dynamic simulations as of 1.1 and 5.8 kcal mol⁻¹, respectively.

Graphical abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Chitosan
• insulin
• interpolymer complexes
• molecular dynamics

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation (Project No 4.3760.2017/PCh). The MD simulations were performed using the supercomputer “Lobachevsky” of the University of Nizhny Novgorod.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation 4.3760.2017/PCh.