Functional peptide-polyurethane conjugates with extended circulatory half-lives

Rheological and Mechanical Behavior of Silk Fibroin Reinforced Waterborne Polyurethane

Waterborne polyurethane (WPU) is a versatile and environment-friendly material with growing applications in both industry and academia. Silk fibroin (SF) is an attractive material known for its structural, biological and hemocompatible properties. The SF reinforced waterborne polyurethane (WPU) is a promising scaffold material for tissue engineering applications. In this work, we report synthesis and characterization of a novel nanocomposite using SF reinforced WPU. The rheological behaviors of WPU and WPU-SF dispersions with different solid contents were investigated with steady shear and dynamic oscillatory tests to evaluate the formation of the cross-linked gel structure. The average particle size and the zeta potential of WPU-SF dispersions with different SF content were examined at 25 °C to investigate the interaction between SF and WPU. FTIR, SEM, TEM and tensile testing were performed to study the effects of SF content on the structural morphology and mechanical properties of the resultant composite films. Experimental results revealed formation of gel network in the WPU dispersions at solid contents more than 17 wt %. The conjugate reaction between the WPU and SF as well as the hydrogen bond between them helped in dispersing the SF powder into the WPU matrix as small aggregates. Addition of SF to the WPU also improved the Young's modulus from 0.30 to 3.91 MPa, tensile strength from 0.56 to 8.94 MPa, and elongation at break from 1067% to 2480%, as SF was increased up to 5 wt %. Thus, significant strengthening and toughening can be achieved by introducing SF powder into the WPU formulations.

Inhibition of angiogenesis by thrombospondin-1 is mediated by 2 independent regions within the type 1 repeats

BACKGROUND

Suppression of tumor growth by thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) has been associated with its ability to inhibit neovascularization. The antiangiogenic activity of TSP-1, as defined by cornea pocket assays, was previously mapped to the amino-terminal portion of the protein within the procollagen region and the type 1 repeats.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We evaluated the specificity and efficacy of different regions of TSP-1 using recombinant fragments of the protein on chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) angiogenesis and endothelial cell proliferation assays. In both assays, fragments containing the second and third type 1 repeats but not the procollagen region inhibited angiogenesis and endothelial cell proliferation. To further define the sequences responsible for the angiostatic effect of TSP-1, we used synthetic peptides. The CAM assay defined 2 sequences that independently suppressed angiogenesis. The amino-terminal end of the type 1 repeats showed higher potency for inhibiting angiogenesis driven by basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2), whereas the second region equally blocked angiogenesis driven by either FGF-2 or vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Modifications of the active peptides revealed the specific amino acids required for the inhibitory response. One sequence included the conserved tryptophan residues in the amino-terminal end of the second and third type 1 repeats, and the other involved the amino acids that follow the CSVTCG sequence in the carboxy-terminus of these repeats. Both inhibition in the CAM assay and inhibition of breast tumor xenograft growth in nude mice were independent of the TGF-beta-activating sequence located in the second type 1 repeat.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that the type 1 repeats of TSP-1 contain 2 subdomains that may independently inhibit neovascularization. They also identify 2 independent pathways by which TSP-1 can block FGF-2 and VEGF angiogenic signals on endothelial cells.

Antiproliferative and antitumor activities of D-reverse peptides derived from the second type-1 repeat of thrombospondin-1

The extracellular matrix glycoprotein thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) inhibits angiogenesis, endothelial cell growth, motility and adhesion. Peptides from the type I repeats of TSP1 mimic the adhesive and growth inhibitory activities of the intact protein and specifically interact with heparin and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta). To define the structural basis for the antiangiogenic activities of these peptides, we prepared analogs of the TSP1 peptide KRFKQDGGWSHWSPWSSC. L-forward, L-reverse, and D-reverse (retro-inverso) analogs displayed identical activities for binding to heparin, demonstrating a lack of stereospecificity for heparin binding. The L-reverse and D-reverse peptides, however, had somewhat decreased abilities to activate latent TGF beta. Conjugation of the forward peptides through a C-terminal thioether and the reverse peptides through an N-terminal thioether to polysucrose abolished the adhesive activity of the peptides and enhanced their antiproliferative activities for endothelial and breast carcinoma cells stimulated by fibroblast growth factor-2. Their antiproliferative activities were independent of latent TGF beta activation, because substitution of an Ala residue for the essential Phe residue in the TSP1 type-1 repeat peptide increased their potency for inhibiting TSP1 binding to heparin and for inhibiting endothelial cell proliferation. Although the conjugated peptides were inactive in vivo, an unconjugated retro-inverso analog of the native TSP peptide inhibited breast tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model. Thus, these TSP-derived peptide analogs antagonize endothelial growth through their heparin-binding activity rather than through activation of latent TGF beta or increasing cell adhesion. These stable analogs may therefore be useful as therapeutic inhibitors of angiogenesis stimulated by fibroblast growth factor-2.

Biocompatible polyurethane-based hydrogel

A polyurethane polymer developed at W. R. Grace has been evaluated for a variety of biomedical applications. The primary property of the polymer exploited for these applications is its ability to prevent protein adsorption when coated on a surface. The prepolymer consists of a trifunctional poly(ethyleneoxide-propylene oxide) triol end capped with isophorone diisocyanate. The prepolymer is reactive with water and can be converted to a hydrogel, a thin coating, or a soluble conjugate with another compound. Each category lends itself to separate biomedical applications which are described in detail. The non-toxic nature of the polymer was demonstrated in a number of systems and suggests its utility in biomedical applications.