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Furlani F, Marfoglia A, Marsich E, Donati I, Sacco P. Strain Hardening in Highly Acetylated Chitosan Gels. Biomacromolecules 2021; 22:2902-2909. [PMID: 34161074 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.1c00293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Strain hardening has recently emerged as a near-universal response of biological tissues to mechanical stimulation as well as a powerful regulator of cell fate. Understanding the mechanistic basis for this nonlinear elasticity is crucial for developing bioinspired materials that mimic extracellular matrix mechanics. Here, we show that covalent networks built from highly acetylated chitosans exhibit strain hardening at physiological pH and osmolarity. While varying the chitosan physical-chemical composition and network connectivity, we provide evidence that temporary nodes arising from the entangling of chains between stable cross-links are at the root of nonlinear elasticity. The contour length (Lc) of the said chains revealed that the larger the chain length between the cross-links, the greater is the entanglement over disentanglement upon network stretching. To this end, we calculated that the minimum number of Khun's segments in Lc that contributes to the onset of strain hardening is 15. Furthermore, we identified a relationship between critical strain marking nonlinear elasticity and the network connectivity, being similar to that found for the cytoskeletal collagen matrix, indicating the potential use of semiflexible (neutral pH-soluble) chitosans in assembling extracellular matrix mimics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franco Furlani
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, Trieste I-34127, Italy
| | - Andrea Marfoglia
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, Trieste I-34127, Italy
| | - Eleonora Marsich
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Piazza Dell'Ospitale 1, Trieste I-34129, Italy
| | - Ivan Donati
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, Trieste I-34127, Italy
| | - Pasquale Sacco
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, Trieste I-34127, Italy
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Agostinis C, Vidergar R, Belmonte B, Mangogna A, Amadio L, Geri P, Borelli V, Zanconati F, Tedesco F, Confalonieri M, Tripodo C, Kishore U, Bulla R. Complement Protein C1q Binds to Hyaluronic Acid in the Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Microenvironment and Promotes Tumor Growth. Front Immunol 2017; 8:1559. [PMID: 29209316 PMCID: PMC5701913 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
C1q is the first recognition subcomponent of the complement classical pathway, which acts toward the clearance of pathogens and apoptotic cells. C1q is also known to modulate a range of functions of immune and non-immune cells, and has been shown to be involved in placental development and sensorial synaptic pruning. We have recently shown that C1q can promote tumor by encouraging their adhesion, migration, and proliferation in addition to angiogenesis and metastasis. In this study, we have examined the role of human C1q in the microenvironment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), a rare form of cancer commonly associated with exposure to asbestos. We found that C1q was highly expressed in all MPM histotypes, particularly in epithelioid rather than in sarcomatoid histotype. C1q avidly bound high and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HA) via its globular domain. C1q bound to HA was able to induce adhesion and proliferation of mesothelioma cells (MES) via enhancement of ERK1/2, SAPK/JNK, and p38 phosphorylation; however, it did not activate the complement cascade. Consistent with the modular organization of the globular domain, we demonstrated that C1q may bind to HA through ghA module, whereas it may interact with human MES through the ghC. In conclusion, C1q highly expressed in MPM binds to HA and enhances the tumor growth promoting cell adhesion and proliferation. These data can help develop novel diagnostic markers and molecular targets for MPM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Agostinis
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Romana Vidergar
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Beatrice Belmonte
- Department of Human Pathology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | | | - Leonardo Amadio
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Pietro Geri
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Science, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Violetta Borelli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Zanconati
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Science, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Francesco Tedesco
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Confalonieri
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Science, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Claudio Tripodo
- Department of Human Pathology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Uday Kishore
- Biosciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
| | - Roberta Bulla
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
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Scognamiglio F, Travan A, Cok M, Borgogna M, Marsich E, Paoletti S, Donati I. On the demixing of hyaluronan and alginate in the gel state. Int J Biol Macromol 2017; 95:49-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2016.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2016] [Revised: 10/31/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Travan A, Scognamiglio F, Borgogna M, Marsich E, Donati I, Tarusha L, Grassi M, Paoletti S. Hyaluronan delivery by polymer demixing in polysaccharide-based hydrogels and membranes for biomedical applications. Carbohydr Polym 2016; 150:408-18. [DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2016.03.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Vulpe R, Le Cerf D, Dulong V, Popa M, Peptu C, Verestiuc L, Picton L. Rheological study of in-situ crosslinkable hydrogels based on hyaluronanic acid, collagen and sericin. MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2016; 69:388-97. [PMID: 27612727 DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2016.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Revised: 06/06/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The elaboration of chemically crosslinked hydrogels based on collagen (C), hyaluronanic acid (HA) and sericin (S) with different polymer ratios was investigated by in-situ rheology. This reaction was performed via amide or ester bond reaction activated by carbodiimide, in pure water. Prior to molecule crosslinking, the rheological behaviour of the biopolymers (alone or in mixture) was characterized in a semi-dilute concentration regime. Both flow and dynamic measurements showed that uncrosslinked collagen alone appears to be rather elastic with yield stress properties, whereas uncrosslinked HA alone appears to be rather shear thinning and viscoelastic in agreement with entangled polymer behaviour. Sericin exhibited Newtonian low viscosity behaviour according to its very low molar mass. Before crosslinking, HA exhibited viscoelastic behaviour at concentrations above the critical entangled concentration (C*) in the mixtures, thus HA shows promise as a matrix for future crosslinked networks, whereas sericin did not significantly modify the rheology. During the reaction, followed by rheology, the kinetics were slower for pure HA systems compared with the mixtures (i.e., with added collagen and/or to a lesser extent sericin). At the same time, the final network of hydrogels (i.e., the elastic modulus) was more structured in the mixture based systems. This result is explained by ester bonds (the only possibility for pure HA systems), which are less favourable and reactive than amide bonds (possible with sericin and collagen). The presence of collagen in the HA matrix reinforced the hydrogel network. SEM studies confirmed the structure of the hydrogels, and in vitro degradability was globally consistent with the effect of the selected enzyme according to the hydrogel composition. All the elaborated hydrogels were non-cytotoxic in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raluca Vulpe
- "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, Department of Natural and Synthetic Polymers, 73 Prof. Dr. docent Dimitrie Mangeron Street, 700050 Iasi, Romania; Université de Rouen, Laboratoire Polymères Biopolymères Surfaces, F-76821 Mont Saint Aignan, France
| | - Didier Le Cerf
- Normandie Université, France; Université de Rouen, Laboratoire Polymères Biopolymères Surfaces, F-76821 Mont Saint Aignan, France; CNRS UMR 6270 & FR3038, F-76821 Mont Saint Aignan, France
| | - Virginie Dulong
- Normandie Université, France; Université de Rouen, Laboratoire Polymères Biopolymères Surfaces, F-76821 Mont Saint Aignan, France; CNRS UMR 6270 & FR3038, F-76821 Mont Saint Aignan, France
| | - Marcel Popa
- "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, Department of Natural and Synthetic Polymers, 73 Prof. Dr. docent Dimitrie Mangeron Street, 700050 Iasi, Romania; Academy of Romanian Scientists, Splaiul Independentei, 54, Sector 5, 050094, Bucuresti, Romania; "Apollonia" University of Iași, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Muzicii Avenue, 2, 700399, Iasi, Romania
| | - Catalina Peptu
- "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, Department of Natural and Synthetic Polymers, 73 Prof. Dr. docent Dimitrie Mangeron Street, 700050 Iasi, Romania
| | - Liliana Verestiuc
- "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Bioengineering, Department of Biological Sciences, 9-13 Kogalniceanu Street, 700454 Iasi, Romania
| | - Luc Picton
- Normandie Université, France; Université de Rouen, Laboratoire Polymères Biopolymères Surfaces, F-76821 Mont Saint Aignan, France; CNRS UMR 6270 & FR3038, F-76821 Mont Saint Aignan, France.
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