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Rijns L, Baker MB, Dankers PYW. Using Chemistry To Recreate the Complexity of the Extracellular Matrix: Guidelines for Supramolecular Hydrogel-Cell Interactions. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:17539-17558. [PMID: 38888174 PMCID: PMC11229007 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c02980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Hydrogels have emerged as a promising class of extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimicking materials in regenerative medicine. Here, we briefly describe current state-of-the-art of ECM-mimicking hydrogels, ranging from natural to hybrid to completely synthetic versions, giving the prelude to the importance of supramolecular interactions to make true ECM mimics. The potential of supramolecular interactions to create ECM mimics for cell culture is illustrated through a focus on two different supramolecular hydrogel systems, both developed in our laboratories. We use some recent, significant findings to present important design principles underlying the cell-material interaction. To achieve cell spreading, we propose that slow molecular dynamics (monomer exchange within fibers) is crucial to ensure the robust incorporation of cell adhesion ligands within supramolecular fibers. Slow bulk dynamics (stress-relaxation─fiber rearrangements, τ1/2 ≈ 1000 s) is required to achieve cell spreading in soft gels (<1 kPa), while gel stiffness overrules dynamics in stiffer gels. Importantly, this resonates with the findings of others which specialize in different material types: cell spreading is impaired in case substrate relaxation occurs faster than clutch binding and focal adhesion lifetime. We conclude with discussing considerations and limitations of the supramolecular approach as well as provide a forward thinking perspective to further understand supramolecular hydrogel-cell interactions. Future work may utilize the presented guidelines underlying cell-material interactions to not only arrive at the next generation of ECM-mimicking hydrogels but also advance other fields, such as bioelectronics, opening up new opportunities for innovative applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Rijns
- Institute
for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven
University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Matthew B. Baker
- Department
of Complex Tissue Regeneration, MERLN Institute for Technology Inspired
Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department
of Instructive Biomaterials Engineering, MERLN Institute for Technology
Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht
University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Patricia Y. W. Dankers
- Institute
for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven
University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven
University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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2
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Castilla-Casadiego DA, Morton LD, Loh DH, Pineda-Hernandez A, Chavda AP, Garcia F, Rosales AM. Peptoid-Cross-Linked Hydrogel Stiffness Modulates Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Immunoregulatory Potential in the Presence of Interferon-Gamma. Macromol Biosci 2024; 24:e2400111. [PMID: 38567626 PMCID: PMC11250919 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202400111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Human mesenchymal stromal cell (hMSC) manufacturing requires the production of large numbers of therapeutically potent cells. Licensing with soluble cytokines improves hMSC therapeutic potency by enhancing secretion of immunoactive factors but typically decreases proliferative ability. Soft hydrogels, however, have shown promise for boosting immunomodulatory potential, which may compensate for decreased proliferation. Here, hydrogels are cross-linked with peptoids of different secondary structures to generate substrates of various bulk stiffnesses but fixed network connectivity. Secretions of interleukin 6, monocyte chemoattractive protein-1, macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor are shown to depend on hydrogel stiffness in the presence of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) supplementation, with soft substrates further improving secretion. The immunological function of these secreted cytokines is then investigated via coculture of hMSCs seeded on hydrogels with primary peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in the presence and absence of IFN-γ. Cocultures with hMSCs seeded on softer hydrogels show decreased PBMC proliferation with IFN-γ. To probe possible signaling pathways, immunofluorescent studies probe the nuclear factor kappa B pathway and demonstrate that IFN-γ supplementation and softer hydrogel mechanics lead to higher activation of this pathway. Overall, these studies may allow for production of more efficacious therapeutic hMSCs in the presence of IFN-γ.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Logan D. Morton
- Mcketta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Darren H. Loh
- Mcketta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Aldaly Pineda-Hernandez
- Mcketta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Ajay P. Chavda
- Mcketta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Francis Garcia
- Mcketta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Adrianne M. Rosales
- Mcketta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
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3
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Cringoli MC, Marchesan S. Cysteine Redox Chemistry in Peptide Self-Assembly to Modulate Hydrogelation. Molecules 2023; 28:4970. [PMID: 37446630 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28134970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cysteine redox chemistry is widely used in nature to direct protein assembly, and in recent years it has inspired chemists to design self-assembling peptides too. In this concise review, we describe the progress in the field focusing on the recent advancements that make use of Cys thiol-disulfide redox chemistry to modulate hydrogelation of various peptide classes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cristina Cringoli
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Silvia Marchesan
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
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4
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Morton LD, Castilla-Casadiego DA, Palmer AC, Rosales AM. Crosslinker structure modulates bulk mechanical properties and dictates hMSC behavior on hyaluronic acid hydrogels. Acta Biomater 2023; 155:258-270. [PMID: 36423819 PMCID: PMC9805514 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.11.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic hydrogels are attractive platforms due in part to their highly tunable mechanics, which impact cell behavior and secretory profile. These mechanics are often controlled by altering the number of crosslinks or the total polymer concentration in the gel, leading to structure-property relationships that inherently couple network connectivity to the overall modulus. In contrast, the native extracellular matrix (ECM) contains structured biopolymers that enable stiff gels even at low polymer content, facilitating 3D cell culture and permeability of soluble factors. To mimic the hierarchical order of natural ECM, this work describes a synthetic hydrogel system in which mechanics are tuned using the structure of sequence-defined peptoid crosslinkers, while fixing network connectivity. Peptoid crosslinkers with different secondary structures are investigated: 1) a helical, molecularly stiff peptoid, 2) a non-helical, less stiff peptoid, and 3) an unstructured, relatively flexible peptoid. Bulk hydrogel storage modulus increases when crosslinkers of higher chain stiffness are used. In-vitro studies assess the viability, proliferation, cell morphology, and immunomodulatory activity of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) on each hydrogel substrate. Matrix mechanics regulate the morphology of hMSCs on the developed substrates, and all of the hydrogels studied upregulate IDO production over culture on TCP. Softer substrates further this upregulation to a plateau. Overall, this system offers a biomimetic strategy for decoupling hydrogel storage modulus from network connectivity, enabling systematic study of biomaterial properties on hMSC behavior and enhancement of cellular functionality for therapeutic applications. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Various strategies to tune hydrogel mechanics have been developed to control human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) behavior and regulate their immunomodulatory potential. However, these strategies typically couple mechanics to network connectivity, which in turn changes other hydrogel properties such as permeability that may have unintended effects on hMSC behavior. This work presents a strategy to tune hydrogel mechanics using crosslinkers with different secondary structure and molecular rigidity. This strategy successfully decouples hydrogel moduli from crosslinker stoichiometry and mimics the hierarchical nature of the native extracellular matrix. The moduli of the developed hydrogels led to significant impacts on hMSC morphology and proliferation, and increased immunomodulatory potential, indicating that molecular rigidity is a promising avenue to control engineered ECM mechanics for therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan D Morton
- Mcketta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, United States
| | - David A Castilla-Casadiego
- Mcketta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, United States
| | - Ajay C Palmer
- Mcketta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, United States
| | - Adrianne M Rosales
- Mcketta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, United States.
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5
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Navarro RS, Huang MS, Roth JG, Hubka KM, Long CM, Enejder A, Heilshorn SC. Tuning Polymer Hydrophilicity to Regulate Gel Mechanics and Encapsulated Cell Morphology. Adv Healthc Mater 2022; 11:e2200011. [PMID: 35373510 PMCID: PMC9262823 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202200011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Mechanically tunable hydrogels are attractive platforms for 3D cell culture, as hydrogel stiffness plays an important role in cell behavior. Traditionally, hydrogel stiffness has been controlled through altering either the polymer concentration or the stoichiometry between crosslinker reactive groups. Here, an alternative strategy based upon tuning the hydrophilicity of an elastin-like protein (ELP) is presented. ELPs undergo a phase transition that leads to protein aggregation at increasing temperatures. It is hypothesized that increasing this transition temperature through bioconjugation with azide-containing molecules of increasing hydrophilicity will allow direct control of the resulting gel stiffness by making the crosslinking groups more accessible. These azide-modified ELPs are crosslinked into hydrogels with bicyclononyne-modified hyaluronic acid (HA-BCN) using bioorthogonal, click chemistry, resulting in hydrogels with tunable storage moduli (100-1000 Pa). Human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs), human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) are all observed to alter their cell morphology when encapsulated within hydrogels of varying stiffness. Taken together, the use of protein hydrophilicity as a lever to tune hydrogel mechanical properties is demonstrated. These hydrogels have tunable moduli over a stiffness range relevant to soft tissues, support the viability of encapsulated cells, and modify cell spreading as a consequence of gel stiffness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renato S Navarro
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Michelle S Huang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Julien G Roth
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Kelsea M Hubka
- Maternal and Child Health Research Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Chris M Long
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Annika Enejder
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Sarah C Heilshorn
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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6
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Li Z, Cai B, Yang W, Chen CL. Hierarchical Nanomaterials Assembled from Peptoids and Other Sequence-Defined Synthetic Polymers. Chem Rev 2021; 121:14031-14087. [PMID: 34342989 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In nature, the self-assembly of sequence-specific biopolymers into hierarchical structures plays an essential role in the construction of functional biomaterials. To develop synthetic materials that can mimic and surpass the function of these natural counterparts, various sequence-defined bio- and biomimetic polymers have been developed and exploited as building blocks for hierarchical self-assembly. This review summarizes the recent advances in the molecular self-assembly of hierarchical nanomaterials based on peptoids (or poly-N-substituted glycines) and other sequence-defined synthetic polymers. Modern techniques to monitor the assembly mechanisms and characterize the physicochemical properties of these self-assembly systems are highlighted. In addition, discussions about their potential applications in biomedical sciences and renewable energy are also included. This review aims to highlight essential features of sequence-defined synthetic polymers (e.g., high stability and protein-like high-information content) and how these unique features enable the construction of robust biomimetic functional materials with high programmability and predictability, with an emphasis on peptoids and their self-assembled nanomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiliang Li
- Physical Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States.,Institute of Molecular Science and Engineering, Institute of Frontier and Interdisciplinary Science, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
| | - Bin Cai
- Physical Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States.,School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Shandong 250100, China
| | - Wenchao Yang
- Physical Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States.,School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Chun-Long Chen
- Physical Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States.,Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
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Yasodharababu M, Servoss SL, Nair AK. Interaction energy between neuronal cell receptors and peptoid ligands. J Biomech 2021; 121:110381. [PMID: 33845356 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Peptoids as an extracellular matrix (ECM) material is gaining importance in in vitro neuronal cell culture studies due to their biocompatibility, self-assembling structure, and stability. Mechanotransduction between a neuronal cell and an ECM is mediated by neuronal cell receptors such as integrin and neural cellular adhesion molecule. In this study, using molecular dynamics, we investigate the interaction energies between peptoid and neuronal cell receptors, and also study the effect of peptoid bundle size. We investigate the interaction surface between peptoid bundles and neuronal cell receptors, integrin and neural cellular adhesion molecule, using the solvent accessible surface area method to find the influence of hydrophobic and hydrophilic residues of the peptoid chain. We find the free energy landscape using the umbrella sampling method and then evaluate the potential mean force (PMF) and unbinding force during the dissociation between peptoid bundles and neuronal cell receptors. We find that the peptoid bundles have a higher affinity for the neuronal cell receptors, however increasing the size of peptoid bundles increases the affinity for integrin and neural cell adhesion molecule. PMF data for peptoid and neuronal cell receptor dissociation indicates that binding force increases as the size of the peptoid bundle increases. The higher binding strength during peptoid and neuronal cell receptors are due to the hydrophobic residue cluster area in the binding region. These findings will provide a better insight into using peptoid as an ECM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohan Yasodharababu
- Multiscale Materials Modeling Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA
| | - Shannon L Servoss
- Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR, USA
| | - Arun K Nair
- Multiscale Materials Modeling Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA; Institute for Nanoscience and Engineering, 731 W. Dickson Street, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA.
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