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Dombrowski M, Herbst M, Preisig N, Giesselmann F, Stubenrauch C. Time Dependence of Gel Formation in Lyotropic Nematic Liquid Crystals: From Hours to Weeks. Gels 2024; 10:261. [PMID: 38667680 PMCID: PMC11049373 DOI: 10.3390/gels10040261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The combination of lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs) and low-molecular-weight gelators (LMWGs) for the formation of lyotropic liquid crystal gels (LLC gels) leads to a versatile and complex material combining properties of both parent systems. We gelled the calamitic nematic NC phases of a binary and ternary system using the LMWG 3,5-bis-(5-hexylcarbamoyl-pentoxy)-benzoic acid hexyl ester (BHPB-6). This binary system consists of the surfactant N,N-dimethyl-N-ethyl-1-hexadecylammonium bromide (CDEAB) and water, whereas the ternary system consists of the surfactant N,N,N-trimethyl-N-tetradecylammonium bromide (C14TAB), the cosurfactant n-decanol, and water. Though containing similar surfactants, the gelled NC phases of the binary and ternary systems show differences in their visual and gel properties. The gelled NC phase of the binary system remains clear for several days after preparation, whereas the gelled NC phase of the ternary system turns turbid within 24 h. We investigated the time evolution of the gel strength with oscillation rheology measurements (a) within the first 24 h and (b) up to two weeks after gel formation. The shape of the fibers was investigated over different time scales with freeze fracture electron microscopy (FFEM). We demonstrate that despite their similarities, the two LLC gels also have distinct differences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Cosima Stubenrauch
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
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2
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Smith DK. Supramolecular gels - a panorama of low-molecular-weight gelators from ancient origins to next-generation technologies. SOFT MATTER 2023; 20:10-70. [PMID: 38073497 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm01301d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Supramolecular gels, self-assembled from low-molecular-weight gelators (LMWGs), have a long history and a bright future. This review provides an overview of these materials, from their use in lubrication and personal care in the ancient world, through to next-generation technologies. In academic terms, colloid scientists in the 19th and early 20th centuries first understood such gels as being physically assembled as a result of weak interactions, combining a solid-like network having a degree of crystalline order with a highly mobile liquid-like phase. During the 20th century, industrial scientists began using these materials in new applications in the polymer, oil and food industries. The advent of supramolecular chemistry in the late 20th century, with its focus on non-covalent interactions and controlled self-assembly, saw the horizons for these materials shifted significantly beyond their historic rheological applications, expanding their potential. The ability to tune the LMWG chemical structure, manipulate hierarchical assembly, develop multi-component systems, and introduce new types of responsive and interactive behaviour, has been transformative. Furthermore, the dynamics of these materials are increasingly understood, creating metastable gels and transiently-fueled systems. New approaches to shaping and patterning gels are providing a unique opportunity for more sophisticated uses. These supramolecular advances are increasingly underpinning and informing next-generation applications - from drug delivery and regenerative medicine to environmental remediation and sustainable energy. In summary, this article presents a panorama over the field of supramolecular gels, emphasising how both academic and industrial scientists are building on the past, and engaging new fundamental insights and innovative concepts to open up exciting horizons for their future use.
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Affiliation(s)
- David K Smith
- Department of Chemistry, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
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3
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Bansode N, Verget J, Barthélémy P. Light-modulation of gel stiffness: a glyconucleoside based bolaamphiphile as a photo-cleavable low molecular weight gelator. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:6867-6870. [PMID: 37646228 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00766a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Photo-cleavable glyconucleoside bolaamphiphiles containing a nitrophenyl unit feature gelation abilities in aqueous media. The stiffness of the resulting gels can be modulated upon light irradiation thanks to the photocleavage reaction of nitrophenyl moieties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitin Bansode
- University of Bordeaux, INSERM U1212, UMR CNRS 5320, F-33076 Bordeaux, France.
| | - Julien Verget
- University of Bordeaux, INSERM U1212, UMR CNRS 5320, F-33076 Bordeaux, France.
| | - Philippe Barthélémy
- University of Bordeaux, INSERM U1212, UMR CNRS 5320, F-33076 Bordeaux, France.
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4
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Thursch LJ, Lima TA, O'Neill N, Ferreira FF, Schweitzer-Stenner R, Alvarez NJ. Influence of central sidechain on self-assembly of glycine-x-glycine peptides. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:394-409. [PMID: 36454226 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm01082h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Low molecular weight gelators (LMWGs) are the subject of intense research for a range of biomedical and engineering applications. Peptides are a special class of LMWG, which offer infinite sequence possibilities and, therefore, engineered properties. This work examines the propensity of the GxG peptide family, where x denotes a guest residue, to self-assemble into fibril networks via changes in pH and ethanol concentration. These triggers for gelation are motivated by recent work on GHG and GAG, which unexpectedly self-assemble into centimeter long fibril networks with unique rheological properties. The propensity of GxG peptides to self-assemble, and the physical and chemical properties of the self-assembled structures are characterized by microscopy, spectroscopy, rheology, and X-ray diffraction. Interestingly, we show that the number, length, size, and morphology of the crystalline self-assembled aggregates depend significantly on the x-residue chemistry and the solution conditions, i.e. pH, temperature, peptide concentration, etc. The different x-residues allow us to probe the importance of different peptide interactions, e.g. π-π stacking, hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobicity, on the formation of fibrils. We conclude that fibril formation requires π-π stacking interactions in pure water, while hydrogen bonding can form fibrils in the presence of ethanol-water solutions. These results validate and support theoretical arguments on the propensity for self-assembly and leads to a better understanding of the relationship between peptide chemistry and fibril self-assembly. Overall, GxG peptides constitute a unique family of peptides, whose characterization will aid in advancing our understanding of self-assembly driving forces for fibril formation in peptide systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lavenia J Thursch
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Thamires A Lima
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Nichole O'Neill
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Fabio F Ferreira
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Nicolas J Alvarez
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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5
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Savage P, Gao S, Esposto J, Adhikari B, Zabik N, Kraatz HB, Eichhorn SH, Martic-Milne S. Self-assembly of N-, C- and N-/C-terminated Val-and Phe-amino acid side chains of naphthalene. J Mol Struct 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2022.133116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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6
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Wang Z, Villa Santos C, Legrand A, Haase F, Hara Y, Kanamori K, Aoyama T, Urayama K, Doherty CM, Smales GJ, Pauw BR, Colón YJ, Furukawa S. Multiscale structural control of linked metal-organic polyhedra gel by aging-induced linkage-reorganization. Chem Sci 2021; 12:12556-12563. [PMID: 34703541 PMCID: PMC8494050 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc02883a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Assembly of permanently porous metal-organic polyhedra/cages (MOPs) with bifunctional linkers leads to soft supramolecular networks featuring both porosity and processability. However, the amorphous nature of such soft materials complicates their characterization and thus limits rational structural control. Here we demonstrate that aging is an effective strategy to control the hierarchical network of supramolecular gels, which are assembled from organic ligands as linkers and MOPs as junctions. Normally, the initial gel formation by rapid gelation leads to a kinetically trapped structure with low controllability. Through a controlled post-synthetic aging process, we show that it is possible to tune the network of the linked MOP gel over multiple length scales. This process allows control on the molecular-scale rearrangement of interlinking MOPs, mesoscale fusion of colloidal particles and macroscale densification of the whole colloidal network. In this work we elucidate the relationships between the gel properties, such as porosity and rheology, and their hierarchical structures, which suggest that porosity measurement of the dried gels can be used as a powerful tool to characterize the microscale structural transition of their corresponding gels. This aging strategy can be applied in other supramolecular polymer systems particularly containing kinetically controlled structures and shows an opportunity to engineer the structure and the permanent porosity of amorphous materials for further applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaoming Wang
- Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Science (WPI-iCeMS), Kyoto University Yoshida, Sakyo-ku Kyoto 606-8501 Japan
- Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University Katsura, Nishikyo-ku Kyoto 615-8510 Japan
| | - Christian Villa Santos
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame Notre Dame IN 46556 USA
| | - Alexandre Legrand
- Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Science (WPI-iCeMS), Kyoto University Yoshida, Sakyo-ku Kyoto 606-8501 Japan
| | - Frederik Haase
- Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Science (WPI-iCeMS), Kyoto University Yoshida, Sakyo-ku Kyoto 606-8501 Japan
| | - Yosuke Hara
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku Kyoto 606-8502 Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Kanamori
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku Kyoto 606-8502 Japan
| | - Takuma Aoyama
- Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Kyoto Institute of Technology Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku Kyoto 606-8585 Japan
| | - Kenji Urayama
- Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Kyoto Institute of Technology Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku Kyoto 606-8585 Japan
| | - Cara M Doherty
- Manufacturing, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Clayton South Victoria Australia
| | - Glen J Smales
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) Unter den Eichen 87 12205 Berlin Germany
| | - Brian R Pauw
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) Unter den Eichen 87 12205 Berlin Germany
| | - Yamil J Colón
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame Notre Dame IN 46556 USA
| | - Shuhei Furukawa
- Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Science (WPI-iCeMS), Kyoto University Yoshida, Sakyo-ku Kyoto 606-8501 Japan
- Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University Katsura, Nishikyo-ku Kyoto 615-8510 Japan
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7
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Li L, Xie L, Zheng R, Sun R. Self-Assembly Dipeptide Hydrogel: The Structures and Properties. Front Chem 2021; 9:739791. [PMID: 34540806 PMCID: PMC8440803 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.739791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Self-assembly peptide-based hydrogels are well known and popular in biomedical applications due to the fact that they are readily controllable and have biocompatibility properties. A dipeptide is the shortest self-assembling motif of peptides. Due to its small size and simple synthesis method, dipeptide can provide a simple and easy-to-use method to study the mechanism of peptides' self-assembly. This review describes the design and structures of self-assembly linear dipeptide hydrogels. The strategies for preparing the new generation of linear dipeptide hydrogels can be divided into three categories based on the modification site of dipeptide: 1) COOH-terminal and N-terminal modified dipeptide, 2) C-terminal modified dipeptide, and 3) uncapped dipeptide. With a deeper understanding of the relationship between the structures and properties of dipeptides, we believe that dipeptide hydrogels have great potential application in preparing minimal biocompatible materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangchun Li
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, China
| | - Li Xie
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, China
| | - Renlin Zheng
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, China
| | - Rongqin Sun
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, China
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8
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Racemization-free synthesis of Nα-2-thiophenoyl-phenylalanine-2-morpholinoanilide enantiomers and their antimycobacterial activity. Amino Acids 2021; 53:1187-1196. [PMID: 34259925 PMCID: PMC8325651 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-021-03044-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Nα-2-thiophenoyl-d-phenylalanine-2-morpholinoanilide (MMV688845, IUPAC: N-(1-((2-morpholinophenyl)amino)-1-oxo-3-phenylpropan-2-yl)thiophene-2-carboxamide) from the Pathogen Box® library (Medicines for Malaria Ventures, MMV) is a promising lead compound for antimycobacterial drug development. Two straightforward synthetic routes to the title compound starting from phenylalanine or its Boc-protected derivative are reported. Employing Boc-phenylalanine as starting material and the T3P® and PyBOP® amide coupling reagents enables racemization-free synthesis, avoiding the need for subsequent separation of the enantiomers. The crystal structure of the racemic counterpart gives insight into the molecular structure and hydrogen bonding interactions in the solid state. The R-enantiomer of the title compound (derived from d-phenylalanine) exhibits activity against non-pathogenic and pathogenic mycobacterial strains, whereas the S-enantiomer is inactive. Neither of the enantiomers and the racemate of the title compound shows cytotoxicity against various mammalian cells.
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9
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Mandal S, Dasmahapatra AK. Effect of aging on the microstructure and physical properties of Poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel. JOURNAL OF POLYMER RESEARCH 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10965-021-02624-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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10
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Panja S, Adams DJ. Urea-Urease Reaction in Controlling Properties of Supramolecular Hydrogels: Pros and Cons. Chemistry 2021; 27:8928-8939. [PMID: 33861488 PMCID: PMC8360084 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202100490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Supramolecular hydrogels are useful in many areas such as cell culturing, catalysis, sensing, tissue engineering, drug delivery, environmental remediation and optoelectronics. The gels need specific properties for each application. The properties arise from a fibrous network that forms the matrix. A common method to prepare hydrogels is to use a pH change. Most methods result in a sudden pH jump and often lead to gels that are hard to reproduce and control. The urease-urea reaction can be used to control hydrogel properties by a uniform and controlled pH increase as well as to set up pH cycles. The reaction involves hydrolysis of urea by urease and production of ammonia which increases the pH. The rate of ammonia production can be controlled which can be used to prepare gels with differing properties. Herein, we show how the urease-urea reaction can be used for the construction of next generation functional materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santanu Panja
- School of ChemistryUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowG12 8QQUK
| | - Dave J. Adams
- School of ChemistryUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowG12 8QQUK
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11
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Panja S, Adams DJ. Stimuli responsive dynamic transformations in supramolecular gels. Chem Soc Rev 2021; 50:5165-5200. [PMID: 33646219 DOI: 10.1039/d0cs01166e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Supramolecular gels are formed by the self-assembly of small molecules under the influence of various non-covalent interactions. As the interactions are individually weak and reversible, it is possible to perturb the gels easily, which in turn enables fine tuning of their properties. Synthetic supramolecular gels are kinetically trapped and usually do not show time variable changes in material properties after formation. However, such materials potentially become switchable when exposed to external stimuli like temperature, pH, light, enzyme, redox, and chemical analytes resulting in reconfiguration of gel matrix into a different type of network. Such transformations allow gel-to-gel transitions while the changes in the molecular aggregation result in alteration of physical and chemical properties of the gel with time. Here, we discuss various methods that have been used to achieve gel-to-gel transitions by modifying a pre-formed gel material through external perturbation. We also describe methods that allow time-dependent autonomous switching of gels into different networks enabling synthesis of next generation functional materials. Dynamic modification of gels allows construction of an array of supramolecular gels with various properties from a single material which eventually extend the limit of applications of the gels. In some cases, gel-to-gel transitions lead to materials that cannot be accessed directly. Finally, we point out the necessity and possibility of further exploration of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santanu Panja
- School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.
| | - Dave J Adams
- School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.
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12
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Gayen K, Nandi N, Das KS, Hermida-Merino D, Hamley IW, Banerjee A. The aging effect on the enhancement of thermal stability, mechanical stiffness and fluorescence properties of histidine-appended naphthalenediimide based two-component hydrogels. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:10106-10114. [PMID: 32716462 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm00468e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
A histidine attached naphthalenediimide (NDI)-containing amphiphilic molecule (NDIP) self-assembles into nanotubes in aqueous solution at pH 6.6 as revealed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy studies. This histidine-appended NDI forms a two-component hydrogel in the presence of tartaric acid at a molar ratio of 1 : 2. A morphological transformation was observed from a nanotube structure in the non-gel aggregated state of histidine appended NDI to interconnected cross-linked nanofibers of the two-component hydrogel in the presence of tartaric acid. Interestingly, the gel exhibits an unusual behavior upon aging compared to the fresh gel. It is found that the thermal stability and gel stiffness increase very significantly upon aging. Another important feature noted is that the very weak fluorescence of the fresh gel is transformed into bright greenish fluorescence upon aging. These results suggest that intermolecular interactions among the gelator molecules and tartaric acid in the gel phase slowly increase with time to form a mechanically very stiff and thermally robust gel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kousik Gayen
- School of Biological Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata, 700032, India.
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13
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New injectable self-assembled hydrogels that promote angiogenesis through a bioactive degradation product. Acta Biomater 2020; 115:197-209. [PMID: 32814142 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2020.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hydrogels used in regenerative medicine are often designed to allow cellular infiltration, degradation, and neovascularization. Low molecular weight hydrogels (LMWHs), formed by self-assembly via non-covalent interactions, are gaining significant interest because they are soft, easy to use and injectable. We propose LMWHs as suitable body implant materials that can stimulate tissue regeneration. We produced four new LMWHs with molecular entities containing nucleic acid and lipid building blocks and analyzed the foreign body response upon subcutaneous implantation into mice. Despite being infiltrated with macrophages, none of the hydrogels triggered detrimental inflammatory responses. Most macrophages present in the hydrogel-surrounding tissue acquired an immuno-modulatory rather than inflammatory phenotype. Concomitantly, no fibrotic capsule was formed after three weeks. Our glyconucleolipid LMWHs exhibited different degradation kinetics in vivo and in vitro. LMWHs with high angiogenic properties in vivo, were found to release glyconucleoside (glucose covalently linked to thymidine via a triazole moiety) as a common by-product of in vitro LMWH degradation. Chemically synthesized glyconucleoside exhibited angiogenic properties in vitro in scratch assays with monolayers of human endothelial cells and in vivo using the chick chorioallantoic membrane assay. Collectively, LMWHs hold promise as efficient scaffolds for various regenerative applications by displaying good biointegration without causing fibrosis, and by promoting angiogenesis through the release of a pro-angiogenic degradation product. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The main limitations of biomaterials developed in the field of tissue engineering remains their biocompatibility and vascularisation properties. In this context, we developed injectable Low Molecular Weight Hydrogels (LMWH) exhibiting thixotropic (reversible gelation) and thermal reversible properties. LMWH having injectability is of great advantage since it allows for their delivery without wounding the surrounding tissues. The resulting gels aim at forming scaffolds that the host cells colonize without major inflammation, and that won't be insulated by a strong fibrosis reaction. Importantly, their molecular degradation releases a product (a glycosyl-nucleoside conjugate) promoting angiogenesis. In this sense, these LMWH represent an important advance in the development of biomaterials promoting tissue regeneration.
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Wang Y, Piskorz TK, Lovrak M, Mendes E, Guo X, Eelkema R, van Esch JH. Transient Supramolecular Hydrogels Formed by Aging-Induced Seeded Self-Assembly of Molecular Hydrogelators. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2020; 7:1902487. [PMID: 32274297 PMCID: PMC7140988 DOI: 10.1002/advs.201902487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Here, transient supramolecular hydrogels that are formed through simple aging-induced seeded self-assembly of molecular gelators are reported. In the involved molecular self-assembly system, multicomponent gelators are formed from a mixture of precursor molecules and, typically, can spontaneously self-assemble into thermodynamically more stable hydrogels through a multilevel self-sorting process. In the present work, it is surprisingly found that one of the precursor molecules is capable of self-assembling into nano-sized aggregates upon a gentle aging treatment. Importantly, these tiny aggregates can serve as seeds to force the self-assembly of gelators along a kinetically controlled pathway, leading to transient hydrogels that eventually spontaneously convert into thermodynamically more stable hydrogels over time. Such an aging-induced seeded self-assembly process is not only a new route toward synthetic out-of-equilibrium supramolecular systems, but also suggests the necessity of reporting the age of self-assembling building block solutions in other self-assembly systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical EngineeringSchool of Chemical EngineeringEast China University of Science and TechnologyMeilong Road 130200237ShanghaiChina
| | - Tomasz K. Piskorz
- Department of Chemical EngineeringDelft University of Technologyvan der Maasweg 92629 HZDelftThe Netherlands
| | - Matija Lovrak
- Department of Chemical EngineeringDelft University of Technologyvan der Maasweg 92629 HZDelftThe Netherlands
| | - Eduardo Mendes
- Department of Chemical EngineeringDelft University of Technologyvan der Maasweg 92629 HZDelftThe Netherlands
| | - Xuhong Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical EngineeringSchool of Chemical EngineeringEast China University of Science and TechnologyMeilong Road 130200237ShanghaiChina
| | - Rienk Eelkema
- Department of Chemical EngineeringDelft University of Technologyvan der Maasweg 92629 HZDelftThe Netherlands
| | - Jan H. van Esch
- Department of Chemical EngineeringDelft University of Technologyvan der Maasweg 92629 HZDelftThe Netherlands
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15
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Das BK, Pramanik B, Chowdhuri S, Scherman OA, Das D. Light-triggered syneresis of a water insoluble peptide-hydrogel effectively removes small molecule waste contaminants. Chem Commun (Camb) 2020; 56:3393-3396. [PMID: 32100740 DOI: 10.1039/c9cc09225k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
A short peptide based hydrogel exhibits aqueous insolubility, thixotropy and efficient light induced syneresis. Upon irradiation with UV light, the hydrogel shrinks and expells ∼50% of the solvent. Syneresis is caused by light-triggered trans-cis isomerisation of an azobenzene moiety in the peptide derivative. This expulsion of solvent can be effectively exploited in the removal of low molecular weight contaminants in water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basab Kanti Das
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam 781039, India.
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16
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Abstract
AbstractElectrochemical hydrogel fabrication is the process of preparing hydrogels directly on to an electrode surface. There are a variety of methods to fabricate hydrogels, which are specific to the type of gelator and the desired properties of the hydrogel. A range of analytical methods that can track this gelation and characterise the final properties are discussed in this short review.
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17
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Chalard A, Joseph P, Souleille S, Lonetti B, Saffon-Merceron N, Loubinoux I, Vaysse L, Malaquin L, Fitremann J. Wet spinning and radial self-assembly of a carbohydrate low molecular weight gelator into well organized hydrogel filaments. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:15043-15056. [PMID: 31179473 DOI: 10.1039/c9nr02727k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we describe how a simple single low molecular weight gelator (LMWG) molecule - N-heptyl-d-galactonamide, which is easy to produce at the gram scale - is spun into gel filaments by a wet spinning process based on solvent exchange. A solution of the gelator in DMSO is injected into water and the solvent diffusion triggers the supramolecular self-assembly of the N-heptyl-d-galactonamide molecules into nanometric fibers. These fibers entrap around 97% of water, thus forming a highly hydrated hydrogel filament, deposited in a well organized coil and locally aligned. This self-assembly mechanism also leads to a very narrow distribution of the supramolecular fiber width, around 150 nm. In addition, the self-assembled fibers are oriented radially inside the wet-spun filaments and at a high flow rate, fibers are organized in spirals. As a result, this process gives rise to a high control of the gelator self-assembly compared with the usual thermal sol-gel transition. This method also opens the way to the controlled extrusion at room temperature of these very simple, soft, biocompatible but delicate hydrogels. The gelator concentration and the flow rates leading to the formation of the gel filaments have been screened. The filament diameter, its internal morphology, the solvent exchange and the velocity of the jet have been investigated by video image analysis and electron microscopy. The stability of these delicate hydrogel ropes has been studied, revealing a polymorphic transformation into macroscopic crystals with time under some storage conditions. The cell viability of a neuronal cell line on the filaments has also been estimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs Chalard
- IMRCP, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Bat 2R1, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
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18
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Draper ER, Adams DJ. Controlling the Assembly and Properties of Low-Molecular-Weight Hydrogelators. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:6506-6521. [PMID: 31038973 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b00716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Low-molecular-weight gels are formed by the self-assembly of small molecules into fibrous networks that can immobilize a significant amount of solvent. Here, we focus on our work with a specific class of gelator, the functionalized dipeptide. We discuss the current state of the art in the area, focusing on how these materials can be controlled. We also highlight interesting and unusual observations and unanswered questions in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R Draper
- School of Chemistry , University of Glasgow , Glasgow G12 9AB , U.K
| | - Dave J Adams
- School of Chemistry , University of Glasgow , Glasgow G12 9AB , U.K
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19
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Shan Y, Li S, Wang R, Zhu SY, Wu F, Fu Y, Zhu L. Spontaneously hierarchical self-assembly of nanofibres into fluorescent spherical particles: a leap from organogels to macroscopic solid spheres. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:470-476. [PMID: 30574991 DOI: 10.1039/c8sm02106f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The spontaneous hierarchical self-assembly of organic small molecules into macroscopic architectures with excellent photophysical properties and highly-ordered structures has rarely been reported to date. In this work, we find that the organogel of SY1 formed in ethyl acetate could spontaneously assemble into macroscopic spherical particles with a unique morphology and photophysical properties. Upon increasing the aging time, the gel gradually collapsed and then transformed into many macroscopic spheres (SY1-balls) with an average diameter of ca. 500 μm and strong yellow emission. In view of the emission properties and the porous structure of the SY1-balls, they were successfully applied in the adsorption and detection of heavy metal ions. More interestingly, SY1 shows different assembly behaviours in toluene solution when mixed with a triphenylamine derivative (TPA1). Macroscopic particles (ST-balls) with a core-shell structure were obtained, which were quite different from the SY1-balls in morphology and emission colour. So far as we know, many studies have focused on the change of the micromorphology of a gel, while the spontaneous self-assembly of organogels into macroscopic particles has been reported in this work for the first time. This work enriches the present study on organogels and plays an important role in further understanding the hierarchical self-assembly of organogels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yahan Shan
- Chongqing Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Technologies of Clean Energy, Faculty of Materials & Energy, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, P. R. China.
| | - Shiwen Li
- Chongqing Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Technologies of Clean Energy, Faculty of Materials & Energy, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, P. R. China.
| | - Rui Wang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Technologies of Clean Energy, Faculty of Materials & Energy, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, P. R. China.
| | - Si Yi Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Functional Small Organic Molecules, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangxi Normal University, P. R. China
| | - Fei Wu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Technologies of Clean Energy, Faculty of Materials & Energy, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, P. R. China.
| | - Yang Fu
- Key Laboratory of Functional Small Organic Molecules, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangxi Normal University, P. R. China
| | - Linna Zhu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Technologies of Clean Energy, Faculty of Materials & Energy, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, P. R. China.
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20
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Fayter AER, Gibson MI, Draper ER. Sub-zero temperature mechanically stable low molecular weight hydrogels. J Mater Chem B 2018; 6:7274-7279. [PMID: 30555698 PMCID: PMC6238726 DOI: 10.1039/c8tb01668b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
We show here a low molecular weight hydrogelator based on a functionalised-dipeptide which is stable down to temperatures of -12 °C despite being made from >99% water. This stabilty at low temperature can be extended to ∼-40 °C by gelling water : glycerol mixtures. The temperature range is wider than that of the glycerol : water mixtures alone. The rheological properties of the gels do not change at this low temperature compared to that of gels at 25 °C. This freezing point depression offers a potentially new method of transporting gels and offers the prospect of hydrogels being used at much lower working temperatures whilst retaining the desired rheological properties, this is useful for cryopreservation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew I Gibson
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , CV4 7AL , UK
- Warwick Medical School , University of Warwick , CV4 7AL , UK
| | - Emily R Draper
- School of Chemistry , University of Glasgow , Glasgow , G12 8QQ , UK .
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21
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Wang L, Shi X, Wang J. A temperature-responsive supramolecular hydrogel: preparation, gel-gel transition and molecular aggregation. SOFT MATTER 2018; 14:3090-3095. [PMID: 29611598 DOI: 10.1039/c8sm00220g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In this study, a novel supramolecular hydrogel, abbreviated as AGC16/NTS, was designed and constructed by the molecular self-assembly of a cationic gemini surfactant, 1,3-bis(N,N-dimethyl-N-cetylammonium)-2-propylacrylatedibromide (AGC16), and an anionic aromatic gelator, trisodium 1,3,6-naphthalenetrisulfonate (NTS). The AGC16/NTS hydrogel was able to form in a mass ratio range of AGC16 and NTS from 20 : 1 to 10 : 1. It was interestingly found that AGC16/NTS exhibited two phase transitions (gel-to-gel and gel-to-sol) observed by visual and rheological measurements during the heating process, which is rarely reported in the previous literature reports of hydrogels prepared using low molecular weight gelators. Cryogenic scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM), fluorescence emission spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to investigate the temperature-responsive properties and molecular self-assembly mechanism of the hydrogel AGC16/NTS. During the gel-to-gel transition process, the temperature-responsive changes in the visual appearance of AGC16/NTS (turbid to transparent) were clearly observed. Compared with the transparent gel, the turbid gel possesses higher mechanical strength and a much more compact network mophology due to stronger intermolecular hydrophobic association beetween gelators. The molecular self-assembly modes for the two different hydrogel states (turbid and transparent gel) were proposed, helping to further understand the hydrogel transition mechanisms at a molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Colloid, Interface and Chemical Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China.
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22
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Vidyasagar A, Ku SH, Kim M, Kim M, Lee HS, Pearce TR, McCormick AV, Bates FS, Kokkoli E. Design and Characterization of a PVLA-PEG-PVLA Thermosensitive and Biodegradable Hydrogel. ACS Macro Lett 2017; 6:1134-1139. [PMID: 35650931 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.7b00523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A set of poly(δ-valerolactone-co-d,l-lactide)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(δ-valerolactone-co-d,l-lactide) (PVLA-PEG-PVLA) triblock copolymers was synthesized and the solution properties were characterized using rheology, cryo-TEM, cryo-SEM, SANS, and degradation studies. This polymer self-assembles into a low viscosity fluid with flowerlike spherical micelles in water at room temperature and transforms into a wormlike morphology upon heating, accompanied by gelation. At even higher temperatures syneresis is observed. At physiological temperature (37 °C) the hydrogel's average pore size is around 600 nm. The PVLA-PEG-PVLA gel degrades in about 45 days in cell media, making this unique hydrogel a promising candidate for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay Vidyasagar
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and ∥Department of
Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Sook Hee Ku
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and ∥Department of
Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Minchul Kim
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and ∥Department of
Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mihee Kim
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and ∥Department of
Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Han Seung Lee
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and ∥Department of
Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Timothy R. Pearce
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and ∥Department of
Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Alon V. McCormick
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and ∥Department of
Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Frank S. Bates
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and ∥Department of
Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Efrosini Kokkoli
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and ∥Department of
Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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23
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24
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Misra R, Sharma A, Shiras A, Gopi HN. Backbone Engineered γ-Peptide Amphitropic Gels for Immobilization of Semiconductor Quantum Dots and 2D Cell Culture. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2017; 33:7762-7768. [PMID: 28715636 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.7b01283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
We are reporting a spontaneous supramolecular assembly of backbone engineered γ-peptide scaffold and its utility in the immobilization of semiconductor quantum dots and in cell culture. The stimulating feature of this γ-peptide scaffold is that it efficiently gelates both aqueous phosphate buffers and aromatic organic solvents. A comparative and systematic investigation reveals that the greater spontaneous self-aggregation property of γ-peptide over the α- and β-peptide analogues is mainly due to the backbone flexibility, increased hydrophobicity, and π-π stacking of γ-phenylalanine residues. The hydrogels and organogels obtained from the γ-peptide scaffold have been characterized through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), FT-IR, circular dichroism (CD), wide-angle X-ray diffraction, and rheometric study. Additionally, the peptide hydrogel has displayed a stimuli-responsive and thixotropic signature, which leads to the injectable hydrogels. 2D cell culture studies using normal and cancer cell lines reveal the biocompatibility of γ-peptide hydrogels. Further, the immobilization of semiconductor core-shell quantum dots in the transparent γ-peptide organogels showed ordered arrangement of quantum dots along the peptide fibrillar network with retaining photophysical property. Overall, γ-peptide scaffolds may serve as potential templates for the design of new functional biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajkumar Misra
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institution of Science Education and Research , Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411008, India
| | - Aman Sharma
- National Center for Cell Science, University of Pune Campus , Pune 411 007, India
| | - Anjali Shiras
- National Center for Cell Science, University of Pune Campus , Pune 411 007, India
| | - Hosahudya N Gopi
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institution of Science Education and Research , Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411008, India
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25
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Mao B, Bentaleb A, Louerat F, Divoux T, Snabre P. Heat-induced aging of agar solutions: Impact on the structural and mechanical properties of agar gels. Food Hydrocoll 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2016.10.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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26
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Barker EC, Martin AD, Garvey CJ, Goh CY, Jones F, Mocerino M, Skelton BW, Ogden MI, Becker T. Thermal annealing behaviour and gel to crystal transition of a low molecular weight hydrogelator. SOFT MATTER 2017; 13:1006-1011. [PMID: 28083581 DOI: 10.1039/c6sm02431a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The thermal annealing behaviour of an electrolyte-triggered calixarene hydrogelator is found to depend strongly on the specific metal chloride used. While the lithium chloride gel showed typical gel-sol transitions as a function of temperature, the magnesium chloride gel was found to repeatedly strengthen with heat-cool cycles. Structural investigations using small-angle neutron scattering, and scanning probe microscopy, suggest that the annealing behaviour is associated with a change in morphology of the fibrous structures supporting the gel. On prolonged standing at room temperature, the magnesium chloride gel underwent a gel-crystal transition, with the collapsing gel accompanied by the deposition of crystals of a magnesium complex of the proline-functionalised calix[4]arene gelator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C Barker
- Department of Chemistry and Nanochemistry Research Institute, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, Western Australia 6845, Australia.
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27
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Simon AJ, Walls-Smith LT, Freddi MJ, Fong FY, Gubala V, Plaxco KW. Simultaneous Measurement of the Dissolution Kinetics of Responsive DNA Hydrogels at Multiple Length Scales. ACS NANO 2017; 11:461-468. [PMID: 28006092 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.6b06414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Recent years have seen increasing study of stimulus-responsive hydrogels constructed from aptamer-connected DNA building blocks. Presumably due to a lack of simple, quantitative tools with which to measure gel responsiveness, however, the literature describing these materials is largely qualitative. In response, we demonstrate here simple, time-resolved, multiscale methods for measuring the response kinetics of these materials. Specifically, by employing trace amounts of fluorophore-quencher labeled cross-linkers and the rheology of entrapped fluorescent particles, we simultaneously measure dissolution at molecular, hundred-nanometer, and hundred-micron length-scales. For our test-bed system, an adenine-responsive hydrogel, we find biphasic response kinetics dependent on both effector concentration and depth within the gel and a dissolution pattern uniform at scales longer than a few times the monomer-monomer distance. Likewise, we find that, in agreement with theoretical predictions, dissolution kinetics over the hundred nanometer length scale exhibit a power-law-like dependence on the fraction of disrupted cross-links before a distinct crossover from solid-like to liquid-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Matthew J Freddi
- Medway School of Pharmacy, University of Kent , Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Chatham, ME4 4TB Kent, U.K
| | | | - Vladimir Gubala
- Medway School of Pharmacy, University of Kent , Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Chatham, ME4 4TB Kent, U.K
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28
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Affiliation(s)
- Shibaji Basak
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences; University of Toronto; 1265 Military Trail Toronto M1C 1 A4 Canada
| | - Ishwar Singh
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences; University of Toronto; 1265 Military Trail Toronto M1C 1 A4 Canada
| | - Heinz-Bernhard Kraatz
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences; University of Toronto; 1265 Military Trail Toronto M1C 1 A4 Canada
- Department of Chemistry; University of Toronto; 80 St. George Street Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6 Canada
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29
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Aldilla VR, Nizalapur S, Martin A, Marjo CE, Rich A, Yee E, Suwannakot P, Black DS, Thordarson P, Kumar N. Design, synthesis, and characterisation of glyoxylamide-based short peptides as self-assembled gels. NEW J CHEM 2017. [DOI: 10.1039/c7nj02248d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
First example of glyoxylamide-based short peptides which can encapsulate organic solvents and water at relatively low concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Adam Martin
- School of Chemistry
- UNSW Australia
- Sydney
- Australia
| | - Chris E. Marjo
- Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre
- UNSW Australia
- Sydney NSW 2052
- Australia
| | - Anne Rich
- Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre
- UNSW Australia
- Sydney NSW 2052
- Australia
| | - Eugene Yee
- School of Chemistry
- UNSW Australia
- Sydney
- Australia
| | | | | | | | - Naresh Kumar
- School of Chemistry
- UNSW Australia
- Sydney
- Australia
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30
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Bian S, Cai H, Cui Y, He M, Cao W, Chen X, Sun Y, Liang J, Fan Y, Zhang X. Temperature and ion dual responsive biphenyl-dipeptide supramolecular hydrogels as extracellular matrix mimic-scaffolds for cell culture applications. J Mater Chem B 2017; 5:3667-3674. [DOI: 10.1039/c7tb00576h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Illustration of the gelation process of a new aromatic short peptide gelator based on biphenyl and its application in cell culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoquan Bian
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials
- Sichuan University
- Chengdu 610064
- China
| | - Hanxu Cai
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials
- Sichuan University
- Chengdu 610064
- China
| | - Yani Cui
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials
- Sichuan University
- Chengdu 610064
- China
| | - Mengmeng He
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials
- Sichuan University
- Chengdu 610064
- China
| | - Wanxu Cao
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials
- Sichuan University
- Chengdu 610064
- China
| | - Xuening Chen
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials
- Sichuan University
- Chengdu 610064
- China
| | - Yong Sun
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials
- Sichuan University
- Chengdu 610064
- China
| | - Jie Liang
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials
- Sichuan University
- Chengdu 610064
- China
| | - Yujiang Fan
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials
- Sichuan University
- Chengdu 610064
- China
| | - Xingdong Zhang
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials
- Sichuan University
- Chengdu 610064
- China
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31
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Basak S, Singh I, Banerjee A, Kraatz HB. Amino acid-based amphiphilic hydrogels: metal ion induced tuning of mechanical and thermal stability. RSC Adv 2017. [DOI: 10.1039/c7ra01277b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A phenylalanine based gelator was found to form a hydrogel in phosphate buffer solution. Its mechanical properties are influenced by a range of metal ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shibaji Basak
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences
- University of Toronto Scarborough
- Toronto
- Canada
| | - Ishwar Singh
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences
- University of Toronto Scarborough
- Toronto
- Canada
| | - Arindam Banerjee
- Department of Biological Chemistry
- Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science
- Jadavpur
- India
| | - Heinz-Bernhard Kraatz
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences
- University of Toronto Scarborough
- Toronto
- Canada
- Department of Chemistry
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32
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Skilling KJ, Kellam B, Ashford M, Bradshaw TD, Marlow M. Developing a self-healing supramolecular nucleoside hydrogel. SOFT MATTER 2016; 12:8950-8957. [PMID: 27714367 DOI: 10.1039/c6sm01779g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Low molecular weight gelator hydrogels provide a viable alternative to traditional polymer based drug delivery platforms, owing to their tunable stability and in most cases inherent biocompatibility. Here we report the first self-healing nucleoside hydrogel using N4-octanoyl-2'-deoxycytidine (0.5% w/v) for drug delivery. The hydrogel's cross-linked nanofibrillar structure, was characterised using oscillatory rheology and confirmed using SEM and TEM imaging. The potential of this gel for drug delivery was explored in vitro using fluorescently labelled tracers. Cell viability assays were conducted using pancreatic cell lines which tolerated the gels well; whilst no adverse effects on the viability or proliferation of cells were observed for fibroblast cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- K J Skilling
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
| | - B Kellam
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
| | - M Ashford
- AstraZeneca, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK10 2NA, UK
| | - T D Bradshaw
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
| | - M Marlow
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
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33
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Yeh MY, Huang CT, Lai TS, Chen FY, Chu NT, Tseng DTH, Hung SC, Lin HC. Effect of Peptide Sequences on Supramolecular Interactions of Naphthaleneimide/Tripeptide Conjugates. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2016; 32:7630-8. [PMID: 27385634 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b01809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we reported a significant difference in the supramolecular hydrogelation of newly discovered NI-GFF (NI-Gly-l-Phe-l-Phe) and NI-FFG (NI-l-Phe-l-Phe-Gly) on the basis of their phase diagrams. With a small difference in the peptide chain between NI-GFF and NI-FFG, we observed a significant difference in their self-assembly properties; NI-GFF formed a stable gel at neutral pH, whereas NI-FFG did not, under the same conditions. From spectroscopic and computational studies, intermolecular π-π interactions and extended hydrogen bonding interactions might reinforce the intermolecular interactions of NI-GFF, which may facilitate the formation of the self-assembled nanostructures and the hydrogel. In addition, the aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active NI-GFF reveals relatively good biocompatibility compared with that of NI-FFG for two commonly used cell lines, suggesting that it is a promising candidate for use as a supramolecular material in biomedical applications. Our results highlight the importance of tripeptide sequences in a self-assembling hydrogel system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Yu Yeh
- Integrative Stem Cell Center, China Medical University Hospital , Taichung 40447, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University , Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Ting Huang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University , Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Sheng Lai
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University , Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Fang-Yi Chen
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University , Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Nien-Tzu Chu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University , Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Dion Tzu-Huan Tseng
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University , Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Chieh Hung
- Integrative Stem Cell Center, China Medical University Hospital , Taichung 40447, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University , Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Chieh Lin
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University , Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
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34
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Krishnan BP, Sureshan KM. A Molecular-Level Study of Metamorphosis and Strengthening of Gels by Spontaneous Polymorphic Transitions. Chemphyschem 2016; 17:3062-3067. [DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201600590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Baiju P. Krishnan
- School of Chemistry; Indian Institute of Science Education; and Research Thiruvananthapuram; CET campus Thiruvananthapuram- 695016 India
| | - Kana M. Sureshan
- School of Chemistry; Indian Institute of Science Education; and Research Thiruvananthapuram; CET campus Thiruvananthapuram- 695016 India
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35
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Xing P, Wang Y, Yang M, Zhang Y, Wang B, Hao A. Selective Metal-Ion-Mediated Vesicle Adhesion Based on Dynamic Self-Organization of a Pyrene-Appended Glutamic Acid. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2016; 8:17676-17684. [PMID: 27323796 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b04279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Vesicles with dynamic membranes provide an ideal model system for investigating biological membrane activities, whereby vesicle aggregation behaviors including adhesion, fusion, fission, and membrane contraction/extension have attracted much attention. In this work we utilize an aromatic amino acid (pyrene-appended glutamic acid, PGlu) to prepare nanovesicles that aggregate to form vesicle clusters selectively induced by Fe(3+) or Cu(2+), and the vesicles transform into irregular nano-objects when interacting with Al(3+). Vesicle clusters have better stability than pristine vesicles, which hinders the spontaneous morphological transformation from vesicles into lamellar nanosheets with long incubation period. The difference between complexation of Fe(3+) and Al(3+) with vesicles was studied by various techniques. On the basis of metal ion-vesicle interactions, this self-assembled nanovesicle system also behaves as an effective fluorescent sensor for Fe(3+) and Al(3+), which cause fluorescence quenching and enhanced excimer emission, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengyao Xing
- Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Ministry of Education, and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University , Jinan 250100, People's Republic of China
| | - Yajie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Ministry of Education, and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University , Jinan 250100, People's Republic of China
| | - Minmin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Ministry of Education, and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University , Jinan 250100, People's Republic of China
| | - Yimeng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Ministry of Education, and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University , Jinan 250100, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Wang
- Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Ministry of Education, and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University , Jinan 250100, People's Republic of China
| | - Aiyou Hao
- Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Ministry of Education, and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University , Jinan 250100, People's Republic of China
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36
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Basu K, Baral A, Basak S, Dehsorkhi A, Nanda J, Bhunia D, Ghosh S, Castelletto V, Hamley IW, Banerjee A. Peptide based hydrogels for cancer drug release: modulation of stiffness, drug release and proteolytic stability of hydrogels by incorporating d-amino acid residue(s). Chem Commun (Camb) 2016; 52:5045-8. [PMID: 26987440 DOI: 10.1039/c6cc01744d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic tripeptide based noncytotoxic hydrogelators have been discovered for releasing an anticancer drug at physiological pH and temparature. Interestingly, gel stiffness, drug release capacity and proteolytic stability of these hydrogels have been successfully modulated by incorporating d-amino acid residues, indicating their potential use for drug delivery in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kingshuk Basu
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Indian Association for The Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata, 700032, India.
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37
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Martin AD, Wojciechowski JP, Warren H, in het Panhuis M, Thordarson P. Effect of heterocyclic capping groups on the self-assembly of a dipeptide hydrogel. SOFT MATTER 2016; 12:2700-2707. [PMID: 26860207 DOI: 10.1039/c6sm00025h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The mechanism and design rules associated with the self-assembly of short peptides into hydrogels is currently not well understood. In this work, four diphenylalanine-based peptides have been synthesised, bearing heterocyclic capping groups which have different degrees of hydrogen bonding potential and nitrogen substitution. For these four peptides, zeta potential and electrical impedance spectroscopy measurements were undertaken to monitor gelation, with the impedance data showing different gelation times for each peptide hydrogel. Through a combination of atomic force microscopy and rheological measurmeents, including dynamic strain and frequency sweeps, and thixotropic tests, the relationship between the mechanism of self-assembly in these hydrogels and their macroscopic behaviour can be established. It is observed that the degree of nitrogen substitution affects the self-assembly mechanisms of the hydrogels and as such, that there is an interplay between branching and bundling self-assembly pathways that are responsible for the final properties of each hydrogel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam D Martin
- School of Chemistry, The Australian Centre for Nanomedicine and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
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38
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Xing P, Chen H, Bai L, Hao A, Zhao Y. Superstructure Formation and Topological Evolution Achieved by Self-Organization of a Highly Adaptive Dynamer. ACS NANO 2016; 10:2716-2727. [PMID: 26757061 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5b07800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The adaptive property of supramolecular building blocks facilitates noncovalent synthesis of soft materials. While it is still a challenging task, fine-tuning and precise control over topological nanostructures constructed from the self-assembly of low-molecular-weight building blocks are an important research direction to investigate the structure-property relationship. Herein, we report controlled self-assembly evolution of a low-molecular-weight building block bearing cholesterol and naphthalene-dicarboximide moieties, showing ultrasensitivity to solvent polarity. In low-polarity solvents (<4), it could form an M-type fiber-constituted organogel (supergel) with high solvent content, columnar molecular packing, and self-healing property. Highly polar solvents (>7.8) favor the formation of P-type helical nanostructures terminated by nanotoroids, having lamellar molecular packing. With a further increase in solvent polarity (up to 9.6), unilamellar and multilamellar vesicles were generated, which could undergo an aggregation-induced fusion process to form branched nanotubes tuned by the concentration. Self-attractive interactions between aggregates were found to be responsible for the formation of superstructures including helix-nanotoroid junctions as well as membrane-fused nanotubes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengyao Xing
- Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry of Ministry of Education and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University , Jinan 250100, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongzhong Chen
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University , 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371, Singapore
| | - Linyi Bai
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University , 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371, Singapore
| | - Aiyou Hao
- Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry of Ministry of Education and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University , Jinan 250100, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanli Zhao
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University , 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371, Singapore
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University , Singapore 639798, Singapore
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39
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Liyanage W, Brennessel WW, Nilsson BL. Spontaneous Transition of Self-assembled Hydrogel Fibrils into Crystalline Microtubes Enables a Rational Strategy To Stabilize the Hydrogel State. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2015; 31:9933-9942. [PMID: 26305488 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.5b01953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogel fibril and crystal formation are related self-assembly processes that provide materials with distinct emergent properties. The relationship between fibril and crystal growth is poorly understood, and efforts to engineer controlled hydrogelation vs crystallization via small molecule self-assembly currently depend on empirical approaches. Herein, we report the dynamic transition of self-assembled hydrogel fibrils of a phenylalanine (Phe) derivative, Fmoc-p-nitrophenylalanine (Fmoc-4-NO2-Phe), to crystalline microtubes. As has been shown with other Fmoc-Phe derivatives, Fmoc-4-NO2-Phe spontaneously self-assembles into amyloid-like fibrils that form an entangled hydrogel network when suspended in water. However, Fmoc-4-NO2-Phe fibrils uniquely transform over time into crystalline microtubes. Hydrogel fibrils appear to be a kinetic state with microtube crystals more thermodynamically favored. This dynamic transition from fibril to crystal has enabled a high-resolution structural analysis of the packing orientation of these self-assembled materials. Taking cues from this structural analysis, we demonstrate a rational strategy for stabilization of the kinetic Fmoc-4-NO2-Phe hydrogel fibrils. These results represent significant advances in our understanding of the dynamic nature of self-assembly processes and in our ability to rationally engineer these processes to provide materials with desired emergent properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wathsala Liyanage
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester , Rochester, New York 14627-0216, United States
| | - William W Brennessel
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester , Rochester, New York 14627-0216, United States
| | - Bradley L Nilsson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester , Rochester, New York 14627-0216, United States
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40
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Baral A, Basak S, Basu K, Dehsorkhi A, Hamley IW, Banerjee A. Time-dependent gel to gel transformation of a peptide based supramolecular gelator. SOFT MATTER 2015; 11:4944-51. [PMID: 26016677 DOI: 10.1039/c5sm00808e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
A dipeptide with a long fatty acid chain at its N-terminus gives hydrogels in phosphate buffer in the pH range 7.0-8.5. The hydrogel with a gelator concentration of 0.45% (w/v) at pH 7.46 (physiological pH) provides a very good platform to study dynamic changes within a supramolecular framework as it exhibits remarkable change in its appearance with time. Interestingly, the first formed transparent hydrogel gradually transforms into a turbid gel within 2 days. These two forms of the hydrogel have been thoroughly investigated by using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), field emission scanning electron microscopic (FE-SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopic (HR-TEM) imaging, FT-IR and rheometric analyses. The SAXS and low angle PXRD studies substantiate different packing arrangements for the gelator molecules for these two different gel states (the freshly prepared and the aged hydrogel). Moreover, rheological studies of these two gels reveal that the aged gel is stiffer than the freshly prepared gel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Baral
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata-700032, India.
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41
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Marchesan S, Styan KE, Easton CD, Waddington L, Vargiu AV. Higher and lower supramolecular orders for the design of self-assembled heterochiral tripeptide hydrogel biomaterials. J Mater Chem B 2015; 3:8123-8132. [DOI: 10.1039/c5tb00858a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The use ofd- orl-amino acids allows for a high or low supramolecular order and stability to design self-assembled peptide hydrogels.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Marchesan
- Center of Excellence for Nanostructured Materials
- Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Department
- University of Trieste
- 34127 Trieste
- Italy
| | - K. E. Styan
- CSIRO Manufacturing Flagship
- Clayton
- Australia
| | | | | | - A. V. Vargiu
- Department of Physics
- University of Cagliari
- Cittadella Universitaria
- 09042 Monserrato (CA)
- Italy
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