Investigations on the Secondary Structure of Polypeptide Chains in Polyelectrolyte Multilayers and their Effect on the Adhesion and Spreading of Osteoblasts

Poly(α-l-lysine)-based nanomaterials for versatile biomedical applications: Current advances and perspectives

Poly(α-l-lysine) (PLL) is a class of water-soluble, cationic biopolymer composed of α-l-lysine structural units. The previous decade witnessed tremendous progress in the synthesis and biomedical applications of PLL and its composites. PLL-based polymers and copolymers, till date, have been extensively explored in the contexts such as antibacterial agents, gene/drug/protein delivery systems, bio-sensing, bio-imaging, and tissue engineering. This review aims to summarize the recent advances in PLL-based nanomaterials in these biomedical fields over the last decade. The review first describes the synthesis of PLL and its derivatives, followed by the main text of their recent biomedical applications and translational studies. Finally, the challenges and perspectives of PLL-based nanomaterials in biomedical fields are addressed.

Controlling Surface-Induced Platelet Activation by Agarose and Gelatin-Based Hydrogel Films

Platelet-surface interaction is of paramount importance in biomedical applications as well as in vitro studies. However, controlling platelet-surface activation is challenging and still requires more effort as they activate immediately when contacting with any nonphysiological surface. As hydrogels are highly biocompatible, in this study, we developed agarose and gelatin-based hydrogel films to inhibit platelet-surface adhesion. We found promising agarose films that exhibit higher surface wettability, better controlled-swelling properties, and greater stiffness compared to gelatin, resulting in a strong reduction of platelet adhesion. Mechanical properties and surface wettability of the hydrogel films were varied by adding magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles. While all of the films prevented platelet spreading, films formed by agarose and its nanocomposite repelled platelets and inhibited platelet adhesion and activation stronger than those of gelatin. Our results showed that platelet-surface activation is modulated by controlling the properties of the films underneath platelets and that the bioinert agarose can be potentially translated to the development of platelet storage and other medical applications.

Modulation of Platelet-Surface Activation: Current State and Future Perspectives

Modulation of platelet-surface activation is important for many biomedical applications such as in vivo performance, platelet storage, and acceptance of an implant. Reducing platelet-surface activation is challenging because they become activated immediately after short contact with nonphysiological surfaces. To date, controversies and open questions in the field of platelet-surface activation still remain. Here, we review state-of-the-art approaches in inhibiting platelet-surface activation, mainly focusing on modification, patterning, and methodologies for characterization of the surfaces. As a future perspective, we discuss how the combination of biochemical and physiochemical strategies together with the topographical modulations would assist in the search for an ideal nonthrombogenic surface.

pH-Induced Changes in Polypeptide Conformation: Force-Field Comparison with Experimental Validation

Microsecond-long all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, circular dichroism, laser Doppler velocimetry, and dynamic light-scattering techniques have been used to investigate pH-induced changes in the secondary structure, charge, and conformation of poly l-lysine (PLL) and poly l-glutamic acid (PGA). The employed combination of the experimental methods reveals for both PLL and PGA a narrow pH range at which they are charged enough to form stable colloidal suspensions, maintaining their α-helix content above 60%; an elevated charge state of the peptides required for colloidal stability promotes the peptide solvation as a random coil. To obtain a more microscopic view on the conformations and to verify the modeling performance, peptide secondary structure and conformations rising in MD simulations are also examined using three different force fields, i.e., OPLS-AA, CHARMM27, and AMBER99SB*-ILDNP. Ramachandran plots reveal that in the examined setup the α-helix content is systematically overestimated in CHARMM27, while OPLS-AA overestimates the β-sheet fraction at lower ionization degrees. At high ionization degrees, the OPLS-AA force-field-predicted secondary structure fractions match the experimentally measured distribution most closely. However, the pH-induced changes in PLL and PGA secondary structure are reasonably captured only by the AMBER99SB*-ILDNP force field, with the exception of the fully charged PGA in which the α-helix content is overestimated. The comparison to simulations results shows that the examined force fields involve significant deviations in their predictions for charged homopolypeptides. The detailed mapping of secondary structure dependency on pH for the polypeptides, especially finding the stable colloidal α-helical regime for both examined peptides, has significant potential for practical applications of the charged homopolypeptides. The findings raise attention especially to the pH fine tuning as an underappreciated control factor in surface modification and self-assembly.

MSC differentiation on two-photon polymerized, stiffness and BMP2 modified biological copolymers

INTRODUCTION

Bone tissue regeneration requires a three-dimensional biological setting. An ideal scaffold should enable cell proliferation and differentiation by mimicking structure and mechanical properties of the compromised defect as well as carrying growth factors. Two-photon polymerization (2PP) allows the preparation of 3D structures with a micrometric resolution.

METHODS

In this study, 2PP was applied to design scaffolds made from biocompatible methacrylated D,L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone copolymers (LC) with a controlled porous architecture. Proliferation and differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells on LC was analyzed and compared to a standard inorganic urethane-dimethacrylate (UDMA) matrix. To functionalize LC and UDMA surfaces we analyzed a biomimetic, layer-by-layer coating, which could be modified in stiffness and integration of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) and evaluated its effect on osteogenic differentiation.

RESULTS

On LC surfaces, BMSC demonstrated an optimal proliferation within pore sizes of 60-100 μm and showed a continuous expression of Vimentin. On the polyelectrolyte multilayer coating a significant increase in BMSC proliferation and differentiation as marked by Osteonectin expression was achieved using stiffness modification and BMP2 functionalization.

CONCLUSION

Combining 3D-Design with biofunctionalization, LC offers a promising approach for future regenerative applications in osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs.

Effect of Functional Groups of Self-Assembled Monolayers on Protein Adsorption and Initial Cell Adhesion

Surface modification plays a vital role in regulating protein adsorption and subsequently cell adhesion. In the present work, we prepared nanoscaled modified surfaces using silanization and characterized them using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), water contact angle (WCA), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Five different (amine, octyl, mixed, hybrid, and COOH) surfaces were prepared based on their functionality and varying wettability and their effect on protein adsorption and initial cell adhesion was investigated. AFM analysis revealed nanoscale roughness on all modified surfaces. Fetal bovine serum (FBS) was used for protein adsorption experiment and effect of FBS was analyzed on initial cell adhesion kinetics (up to 6 h) under three different experimental conditions: (a) with FBS in media, (b) with preadsorbed FBS on surfaces, and (c) incomplete media, i.e., without FBS. Various cell features such as cell morphology/circularity, cell area and nuclei size were also studied for the above stated conditions at different time intervals. The cell adhesion rate as well as cell spread area were highest in the case of surfaces with preadsorbed FBS. We observed higher surface coverage rate by adhering cells on hybrid (rate, 0.073 h^-1) and amine (0.072 h^-1) surfaces followed by COOH (0.062 h^-1) and other surfaces under preadsorbed FBS condition. Surface treated with cells in incomplete media exhibited least adhesion rate, poor cell spreading and improper morphology. Furthermore, we found that initial cell adhesion rate and Δadhered cells (%) linearly increased with the change in α-helix content of adsorbed FBS on surfaces. Among all the modified surfaces and under all three experimental conditions, hybrid surface exhibited excellent properties for supporting cell adhesion and growth and hence can be potentially used as surface modifiers in biomedical applications to design biocompatible surfaces.

Secondary structures of synthetic polypeptide polymers

Synthetic peptide-based polymers can fold into different secondary structures in the same way as do proteins. This review article presents how tuning the polypeptide secondary structure could be a key step to modulate various properties in advanced polymeric materials (size, rigidity, self-assembly,etc.).

Effect of the silicon carbide nanoparticles introduction on biological properties of porous polymer coatings

The multilayer polyelectrolyte films (PEMs) seem to be a promising material to reconstruct the structure and behavior of the extracellular matrix.

Poly(ethylene oxide)-based block copolymers with very high molecular weights for biomimetic calcium phosphate mineralization

Ampholytic and betaine-type block copolymers are excellent growth modifiers for calcium phosphate in biologically inspired calcium phosphate mineralization.

Polyelectrolyte multilayer-calcium phosphate composite coatings for metal implants

The preparation of organic-inorganic composite coatings with the purpose to increase the bioactivity of bioinert metal implants was investigated. As substrates, glass plates and rough titanium surfaces (Ti-SLA) were employed. The method comprises the deposition of polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMLs) followed by immersion of the coated substrate into a calcifying solution of low supersaturation (MCS). Single or mixed PEMLs were constructed from poly-L-lysine (PLL) alternating with poly-L-glutamate, (PGA), poly-L-aspartate (PAA), and/or chondroitin sulfate (CS). ATR-FTIR spectra reveal that (PLL/PGA)10 multilayers and mixed multilayers with a (PLL/PGA)5 base contain intermolecular β-sheet structures, which are absent in pure (PLL/PAA)10 and (PLL/CS)10 assemblies. All PEML coatings had a grainy topography with aggregate sizes and size distributions increasing in the order: (PLL/PGA)n < (PLL/PAA)n < (PLL/CS)n. In mixed multilayers with a (PLL/PGA)n base and a (PLL/PAA)n or (PLL/CS)n top, the aggregate sizes were greatly reduced. The PEMLs promoted calcium phosphate nucleation and early crystal growth, the intensity of the effect depending on the composition of the terminal layer(s) of the polymer. In contrast, crystal morphology and structure depended on the supersaturation, pH, and ionic strength of the MCS, rather than on the composition of the organic matrix. Crystals grown on both uncoated and coated substrates were mostly platelets of calcium deficient carbonate apatite, with the Ca/P ratio depending on the precipitation conditions.

Enhanced human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell functions in novel 3D cartilage scaffolds with hydrogen treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Cartilage tissue is a nanostructured tissue which is notoriously hard to regenerate due to its extremely poor inherent regenerative capacity and complex stratified architecture. Current treatment methods are highly invasive and may have many complications. Thus, the goal of this work is to use nanomaterials and nano/microfabrication methods to create novel biologically inspired tissue engineered cartilage scaffolds to facilitate human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) chondrogenesis. To this end we utilized electrospinning to design and fabricate a series of novel 3D biomimetic nanostructured scaffolds based on hydrogen (H2) treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and biocompatible poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) polymers. Specifically, a series of electrospun fibrous PLLA scaffolds with controlled fiber dimension were fabricated in this study. In vitro MSC studies showed that stem cells prefer to attach in the scaffolds with smaller fiber diameter. More importantly, the MWCNT embedded scaffolds showed a drastic increase in mechanical strength and a compressive Young's modulus matching to natural cartilage. Furthermore, our MSC differentiation results demonstrated that incorporation of the H2 treated carbon nanotubes and poly-L-lysine coating can induce more chondrogenic differentiations of MSCs than controls. After two weeks of culture, PLLA scaffolds with H2 treated MWCNTs and poly-L-lysine can achieve the highest glycosaminoglycan synthesis, making them promising for further exploration for cartilage regeneration.