Silk sericin (SS) has different physicochemical properties depending on the extraction technique. In this study, SS was isolated in the presence of ingredients, including 5 to 10% ethanol (EtOH) and 5 to 10% glycine. Furthermore, temperature conditions of 80 °C, 100 °C, and 120 °C were used for 1, 3, and 5 h to evaluate the extraction rates. The extraction, gelation, structural, and cytotoxicity properties of SS extracted under different conditions were investigated. Extraction at 100 °C and 120 °C were found to have the highest SS yield, with 80 °C being the lowest. SS isolated at 100 °C and 120 °C for 1 and 3 h in water, and EtOH gelled at 4 °C in 2 to 3 days and 37 °C in 40 min. Glycine SS extracts were obtained at 100 °C and 120 °C for 1 h, gelled at 4 °C for 20 days and 37 °C for 16 h. SS was observed at 80 °C, with no gelation occurring. Glycine SS extracts obtained for 3, and 5 h at 120 °C showed no gelation. Circular dichroism (CD) results show glycine in SS induces α-helix and random coil structure. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and fast performance liquid chromatography (FPLC) were used to quantify the molecular weight distribution at 63 and 70 kDa, respectively. The MMT assay (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) revealed no cytotoxicity in macrophage RAW 264.7 cells treated with this method SS; these findings present the significance and possibility of using selected extraction ingredients in SS that allow for the application of native SS at an initial extraction viscosity.
Keywords: extraction; proliferation; sericin; sol-gel; viability.