Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41683375›Full record

ArticleMolecules (Basel, Switzerland)2026

Low-Molecular-Weight Sulfated Chitosan Microparticles Efficiently Bind HIV-1 In Vitro: Potential for Microbicide Applications.

Sergio A Bucarey, Verónica Ramos, Alejandro A Hidalgo, Victor Neira, Andrónico Neira-Carrillo, Pablo Ferrer

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

6 authors.

Sergio A BucareyCentro Biotecnológico Veterinario, Biovetec, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santa Rosa 11735, La Pintana, Santiago 8820000, Chile.ORCID 0000-0001-5811-2433
Verónica RamosLaboratorio de Medicina Molecular, Hospital Clínico, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380000, Chile.ORCID 0000-0001-8424-8385
Alejandro A HidalgoEscuela de Química y Farmacia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Andres Bello, Sazié 2320, Santiago 8360000, Chile.ORCID 0000-0002-7788-3185
Victor NeiraDepartamento de Medicina Preventiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santa Rosa 11735, La Pintana, Santiago 8820000, Chile.ORCID 0000-0001-9062-9969
Andrónico Neira-CarrilloLaboratorio Polyform, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santa Rosa 11735, La Pintana, Santiago 8820000, Chile.ORCID 0000-0003-0060-7518
Pablo FerrerLaboratorio de Medicina Molecular, Hospital Clínico, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380000, Chile.ORCID 0000-0001-9824-6583

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHuman Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) remains a major global health challenge. Despite advances in antiretroviral therapy, new prevention strategies are needed, particularly topical microbicides capable of blocking the earliest steps of viral entry. HIV-1 attachment relies on interactions with heparan sulfate proteoglycans on host cell surfaces; therefore, sulfated heparan-mimetic polymers have been explored as antiviral agents. In this context, sulfated chitosan microparticles are designed to mimic natural glycosaminoglycan receptors, acting as biomimetic decoys that prevent viral attachment and entry.

methodsLow-molecular-weight sulfated chitosan (LMW Chi-S) microparticles were synthesized and characterized (SEM, EDS, DLS, FTIR) following US Patent No. 11,246,839 B2. Their antiviral activity was evaluated by incubating the microparticles with high-viral-load HIV-1-positive plasma (~3.5 × 10

resultsChi-S microparticles exhibited stronger virus-binding and neutralizing capacity than all heparinoid comparators, achieving up to 70% reduction in viral load relative to untreated HIV-1 plasma. In comparison, soluble heparin and heparin microparticles reduced viral load by approximately 53% and 60%, respectively. Subsequent evaluation across multiple tested concentrations confirmed a consistent antiviral effect, indicating that the synthesized Chi-S microparticles maintain robust virus-particle interactions throughout the concentration range examined.

conclusionsThese findings demonstrate that LMW Chi-S microparticles possess potent antiviral properties and outperform classical heparinoid materials, supporting their potential application as topical microbicides targeting early HIV-1 entry mechanisms.

Indexed as

Anti-HIV AgentsAnti-Infective AgentsChitosanHIV-1HIV InfectionsHumansMolecular WeightViral LoadVirus AttachmentAnti-HIV AgentsAnti-Infective AgentsChitosanchitosan sulfatebiomimetic microbicideheparan sulfate mimeticsHIV-1 entry inhibitionsulfated chitosan microparticlesvirus-binding decoy strategy

Identifiers

PMID41683375
PMCPMC12899983

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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.