Self-Assembled Keratin Nanoparticles Prepared by Partial Hydrolysis and Their Restructuring Response to pH Shifting for Biomolecule Encapsulation

文献类型： 外文期刊

第一作者： Qin, Xiaojie

作者： Qin, Xiaojie;Zhang, Yi;Zhang, Changyan;Guo, Yujie;Zhang, Chunhui;Scott, Elinor L.;Bitter, Johannes H.

作者机构：

期刊名称：BIOMACROMOLECULES （ 影响因子：5.4； 五年影响因子：5.8 ）

ISSN： 1525-7797

年卷期： 2025 年 26 卷 7 期

页码：

收录情况： SCI

摘要： Keratin, an abundant biopolymer in animal byproducts, holds promise as a biomolecule delivery carrier due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low toxicity. However, its intrinsic stability from disulfide bonds limits broader application. Here, we present a strategy to convert waste feather keratin into keratin nanoparticles (KNPs) via partial hydrolysis and pH shifting. At 5% degree of hydrolysis (DH), keratin self-assembled into spherical KNPs with reduced size (similar to 123 nm) and enhanced solubility (94.5%). These KNPs displayed pH-triggered structural transitions (open state at pH 2.0 -> closed at pH 7.0) and high loading efficiency (>93%) for insulin and resveratrol, offering partial protection against gastrointestinal enzymatic degradation and low cytotoxicity. In contrast, higher DH (>= 10%) increased beta-sheet content and hydrophobic exposure, promoting KNP aggregation and lowering their pH responsiveness and biomolecule encapsulation. Our findings demonstrate the potential of 5% DH KNPs as nanocarriers, providing a sustainable approach for nutrient and pharmaceutical applications.

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