DNA interaction, antitumor and antimicrobial activities of three-dimensional chitosan ring produced from the body segments of a diplopod

• Ring shaped and flexible chitin and chitosan was obtained from diplopod body segments.
• This new three-dimensional chitosan consists of nanofibers and nanopores.
• Characterization of three-dimensional chitin and chitosan.
• Interaction of 3D chitosan with Plasmid DNA.
• Antitumoral and antimicrobial activities of the chitosan were investigated.

Commercially available chitins and the chitin isolated from mushrooms, insect cuticles, shells of shrimp, crab and crayfish reported in the literature are in forms of powder, flake or granule. Three-dimensional chitins have been only known from the sponges but still three-dimensional chitosan has not been reported yet. In this study, we produced three-dimensional chitin and chitosan rings from the body segments of a diplopod species (Julus terrestris). Obtained chitin and chitosan rings were characterized (by FT-IR, SEM, TGA, XRD, dilute solution viscometry and EA) and compared with commercial chitin and chitosan. The interactions with plasmid DNA was studied at varying concentrations of chitosan (0.04, 0.4 and 4 mg/mL). Antitumor activity tests were conducted (L929 and HeLa), low cytotoxicity and high antiproliferative activity was observed. Antimicrobial activities of J. terrestris chitosan were investigated on twelve microorganisms and maximum inhibition (15.6 ± 1.154 mm) was recorded for common human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus.