Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40574133›Full record

ArticlePolymers2025

Effect of Poly-γ-Glutamic Acid Molecular Weight on the Properties of Whey Protein Isolate Hydrogels.

Daniel K Baines, Zuzanna Pawlak-Likus, Nikoleta N Tavernaraki, Varvara Platania, Mattia Parati, Timothy N Wong Wong Cheung, Iza Radecka, Patrycja Domalik-Pyzik, Maria Chatzinikolaidou, Timothy E L Douglas

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Polymers, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Daniel K BainesSchool of Engineering, Lancaster University, Gillow Avenue, Lancaster LA1 4YW, UK.
Zuzanna Pawlak-LikusDepartment of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Automatics, Computer Science and Biomedical Engineering, AGH University of Krakow, 30-059 Krakow, Poland.
Nikoleta N TavernarakiDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Crete, 700 13 Heraklion, Greece.ORCID 0009-0007-1820-8183
Varvara PlataniaDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Crete, 700 13 Heraklion, Greece.
Mattia ParatiFaculty of Science and Engineering, School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton WV1 1LY, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-1688-5459
Timothy N Wong Wong CheungSchool of Engineering, Lancaster University, Gillow Avenue, Lancaster LA1 4YW, UK.
Iza RadeckaFaculty of Science and Engineering, School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton WV1 1LY, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-3257-8803
Patrycja Domalik-PyzikDepartment of Biomaterials and Composites, Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, AGH University of Krakow, 30-059 Krakow, Poland.ORCID 0000-0002-5978-5688
Maria ChatzinikolaidouDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Crete, 700 13 Heraklion, Greece.ORCID 0000-0002-2749-2506
Timothy E L DouglasSchool of Engineering, Lancaster University, Gillow Avenue, Lancaster LA1 4YW, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-6661-3120

Funding

Resource for Biocomputing Visualization and InformaticsP41GM103311 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI FERRIN, THOMAS E · 2012 to 2017
$8.2M
"Excellence Initiative - Research University" for the AGH University of Krakow financial support to Z.P-LFaculty of Science and Technology, Lancaster University, United Kingdom, financial support to D.K.B (studentship)Hellenic Foundation for Re-search and Innovation (H.F.R.I.) HFRI-FM17-1999NIGMS NIH HHS P41 GM103311
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Whey protein isolate (WPI) hydrogel is a promising candidate as a biomaterial for tissue engineering. Previously, WPI hydrogels containing poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) with a molecular weight (MW) of 440 kDa demonstrated potential as scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Here, the study compares different γ-PGA preparations of differing MW. WPI-γ-PGA hydrogels containing 40% WPI and 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10% γ-PGA were synthesised. Three γ-PGA MWs were compared, namely 10 kDa, 700 kDa, and 1100 kDa. Evidence of successful γ-PGA incorporation was demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Increasing γ-PGA concentration significantly improved the swelling potential of the hydrogels, as demonstrated by ratio mass increases of between 85 and 90% for each 10% variable group. Results suggested that γ-PGA delayed enzymatic proteolysis, potentially decreasing the rate of degradation. The addition of γ-PGA significantly decreased the Young's modulus and compressive strength of hydrogels. Dental pulp mesenchymal stem cells proliferated on all hydrogels. The highest cellular growth was observed for the WPI-700 kDa γ-PGA group. Additionally, superior cell attachment was observed on all WPI hydrogels containing γ-PGA compared to the WPI control. These results further suggest the potential of WPI hydrogels containing γ-PGA as biomaterials for bone tissue engineering.

Indexed as

biomaterialsbone scaffoldshydrophilicosteogenesisosteogenic differentiationpolymerstissue engineeringwhey protein isolateγ-PGA

Identifiers

PMID40574133
PMCPMC12196781

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.