NON-ELASTOMERIC POLYPEPTIDE MODELS OF ELASTIN

Thermal Synthesis of Polypeptides from N-Butyloxycarbonyl Oligopeptides Containing Aspartyl Residue at C-Terminus

The thermal reactions of amino acids have been investigated for pure organic synthesis, materials preparation in industry, and prebiotic chemistry. N-t-Butyloxycarbonyl aspartic acid (Boc-Asp) releases 2-butene and carbon dioxide upon heating without solvents. The resulting mixture of the free molten aspartic acid was dehydrated to give peptide bonds. This study describes the thermal reactions of N-t-butyloxycarbonyl peptides (Boc-Gly-L-Asp, Boc-L-Ala-L-Asp, Boc-L-Val-L-Asp, and Boc-Gly-Gly-L-Asp) having an aspartic residue at the carboxyl terminus. The peptides were deprotected upon heating at a constant temperature between 110 and 170°C for 1 to 24 h to afford polypeptides in which the average molecular weight reached 7800.

Elastin-like polypeptides: the power of design for smart cell encapsulation

INTRODUCTION

Cell encapsulation technology is still a challenging issue. Innovative methodologies such as additive manufacturing, and alternative bioprocesses, such as cell therapeutic delivery, where cell encapsulation is a key tool are rapidly gaining importance for their potential in regenerative medicine. Responsive materials such as elastin-based recombinant expression products have features that are particularly attractive for cell encapsulation. They can be designed and tailored to meet desired requirements. Thus, they represent promising candidates for the development of new concept-based materials that can be employed in this field. Areas covered: An overview of the design and employment of elastin-like polypeptides for cell encapsulation is given to outline the state of the art. Special attention is paid to the design of the macromolecule employed as well as to the method of matrix formation and the biological system involved. Expert opinion: As a result of recent progress in regenerative medicine there is a compelling need for materials that provide specific properties and demonstrate defined functional features. Rationally designed materials that may adapt according to applied external stimuli and that are responsive to biological systems, such as elastin-like polypeptides, belong to this class of smart material. A run through the components described to date represents a good starting point for further advancement in this area. Employment of these components in cell encapsulation application will promote its advance toward 'smart cell encapsulation technology'.

Molecular biophysics of elastin structure, function and pathology

Owing to the presence of the recurring sequence XPGX' (where X and X' are hydrophobic residues), the molecular structure of the sequences between cross-links in elastin is viewed primarily as a series of beta-turns which become helically ordered by hydrophobic folding into beta-spirals, which in turn assemble hydrophobically into twisted filaments. Both hydrophobic folding and assembly occur when the temperature is raised above Tt, the onset of an inverse temperature transition. Using poly[fv(VPGVG),fx(VPGXG)] (where fv and fx are mole fractions with fv + fx = 1 and X is now any of the naturally occurring amino acid residues), plots of fx versus Tt result in a new hydrophobicity scale based directly on the hydrophobic folding and assembly processes of interest. With the reference values chosen at fx = 1, the most hydrophobic residues of elastin, Tyr (Y) and Phe (F), have low values of Tt, -55 and -30 degrees C, respectively, and the most hydrophilic residues, Glu (E-), Asp (D-) and Lys (K+), have high values of 250, 170 and 120 degrees C, respectively. Raising the average value of Tt for a chain or chain segment from below to above physiological temperature drives hydrophobic unfolding and disassembly; lowering Tt does the reverse. This delta Tt mechanism has been used reversibly to interconvert many energy forms and is used here to explain initiating events of elastogenesis, pulmonary emphysema, solar elastosis and the paucity of elastic fibres in scar tissue. In general, oxidation and/or photolysis convert(s) hydrophobic residues into polar residues with the consequences of irreversibly raising Tt to above 37 degrees C, hydrophobic unfolding and disassembly (fibre swelling), and greater susceptibility to proteolysis.

The effect of a recombinant elastin-mimetic coating of an ePTFE prosthesis on acute thrombogenicity in a baboon arteriovenous shunt

A recombinant elastin-mimetic triblock protein polymer with an inverse transition temperature (approximately 20 degrees C) was used to impregnate small-diameter (4 mm i.d.) expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) vascular grafts. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed that initial elastin impregnation of the graft followed by further multilayer coating with elastin films filled in the fibril and node structure of the luminal surface of the ePTFE graft and was macroscopically smooth. Elastin protein polymer impregnation reduced the advancing contact angle of the luminal surface to 43 degrees, which was comparable to the advancing contact angle of 47 degrees for a cast elastin film. Attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy and Coomassie blue staining revealed little discernable change in the protein surface film after 24 h of shear at 500 s(-1) and 37 degrees C. Excellent short-term blood-contacting properties as determined by minimal fibrin and platelet deposition were demonstrated using a baboon extracorporeal femoral arteriovenous shunt model. The results of this study demonstrate the applicability of an elastin-mimetic triblock protein polymer as a non-thrombogenic coating or as a component of a tissue-engineered composite.

Comparative structures and properties of elastic proteins

Elastic proteins are characterized by being able to undergo significant deformation, without rupture, before returning to their original state when the stress is removed. The sequences of elastic proteins contain elastomeric domains, which comprise repeated sequences, which in many cases appear to form beta-turns. In addition, the majority also contain domains that form intermolecular cross-links, which may be covalent or non-covalent. The mechanism of elasticity varies between the different proteins and appears to be related to the biological role of the protein.

Hydrophobic domains of human tropoelastin interact in a context-dependent manner

Tropoelastin is the soluble precursor of elastin, the major component of the extracellular elastic fiber. Tropoelastin undergoes self-association via an inverse temperature transition termed coacervation, which is a crucial step in elastogenesis. Coacervation of tropoelastin takes place through multiple intermolecular interactions of its hydrophobic domains. Previous work has implicated those hydrophobic domains located near the center of the polypeptide as playing a dominant role in coacervation. Short constructs of domains 18, 20, 24, and a mutated form of domain 26 were largely disordered at 20 degrees C but displayed increased order on heating that was consistent with the formation of beta-structures. However, their conformational transitions were not sensitive to physiological temperature in contrast to the observed behavior of the native domain 26. A polypeptide consisting of domains 17-27 of tropoelastin coacervated at temperatures above 60 degrees C, whereas individually expressed hydrophobic regions were not capable of coacervation. We conclude that coacervation depends on the hydrophobicity of the molecule and, by inference, the number of hydrophobic domains. Tropoelastin mutants were constructed to contain a Pro --> Ala mutation in domain 26, separate deletions of domains 18 and 26, and a displacement of domain 26. These constructs displayed unequal capacities for coacervation, even when they contained the same number of hydrophobic regions and comparable levels of secondary structure. Thus, the capability for coacervation is determined by contributions from individual hydrophobic domains for which function should be considered in the context of their positions in the intact tropoelastin molecule.

Elastomeric proteins: biological roles, structures and mechanisms

Elastomeric proteins are able to withstand significant deformations without rupture before returning to their original state when the stress is removed. Although elastomeric proteins differ considerably in their amino acid sequence, they all have a complex domain structure and share two common properties. Namely, they contain elastomeric domains, comprised of repeated sequences, and additional domains that form intermolecular crosslinks. Furthermore, several protein contain beta-turns as a structural motif within the elastomeric domains.

Differential scanning calorimetry studies of NaCl effect on the inverse temperature transition of some elastin-based polytetra-, polypenta-, and polynonapeptides

Differential scanning calorimetry studies of the effect of NaCl on protein-based polymer self-assembly has been carried out on six elastin-based synthetic sequential polypeptides--i.e., the polypentapeptide (L-Val1-L-Pro2-Gly3-L-Val4-Gly5)n and its more hydrophobic analogues (L-Leu1-L-Pro2-Gly3-L-Val4-Gly5)n and (L-Val1-L-Pro2-L-Ala3-L-Val4-Gly5)n; the polytetrapeptide (L-Val1-L-Pro2-Gly3-Gly4)n and its more hydrophobic analogue (L-Ile1-L-Pro2-Gly3-Gly4)n; and the polynonapeptide (a pentatetra hybrid), (L-Val1-L-Pro2-Gly3-L-Val4-Gly5-L-Val6-L-Pro7-Gly8-Gly9++ +)n. Previous physical characterizations of the polypentapeptides have demonstrated the occurrence of an inverse temperature transition since increase in order of the polypentapeptide, as the temperature is raised from below to above that of the transition, has been repeatedly observed using different physical characterizations. In the present experiments, it is observed that the transition temperatures of the polypeptides studied are linearly dependent on NaCl concentration. The molar effectiveness of NaCl in shifting the transition temperature delta Tm/[N], is about 14 degrees C/[N], with the dependence on peptide hydrophobicity being fairly small. Interestingly, however, the delta delta Q/[N] does depend on the hydrophobicity of a polypeptide.

Temperature dependence of length of elastin and its polypentapeptide

Comparison of the temperature dependence of elastomer length of the cross-linked protein, elastin, and of gamma-irradiation cross-linked poly(VPGVG), the polypentapeptide of elastin, with that of latex rubber demonstrate markedly dissimilar behaviors between a classical rubber and the protein and polypeptide elastomers. In the absence of a load latex rubber expands with increasing temperature as is known for classical rubbers comprised of a network of random chains whereas the protein and polypeptide elastomers markedly decrease in length. When under load with a constant applied force, as a classical rubber, latex linearly decreases length with increasing temperature whereas the decrease in length is very non-linear with temperature increase for the protein and polypeptide elastomers. The protein and polypeptide elastomers examined here do not exhibit the characteristic and fundamental temperature dependence of length considered typical of networks of random chains. Accordingly the more complex and even inverse behavior of elastin and the polypentapeptide of elastin in the absence of load require consideration of structural perspectives different from those of a random chain network with negligible interchain interactions.

Irradiation crosslinking of the polytetrapeptide of elastin and compounding to dacron to produce a potential prosthetic material with elasticity and strength

The poly(tetra peptide), H-(L . Val1-L . Pro2-Gly3-Gly4)n-L . Val-OMe, which is a recurring sequence in tropoelastin the precursor protein of the elastic fiber, has been irradiation crosslinked to produce an elastomeric material with limited strength. When a material such as a Dacron fabric is impregnated by the coacervate phase of the poly(tetrapeptide) prior to irradiation crosslinking at 50 Mrad, the crosslinked product exhibits stress-strain curves with good elastomeric properties and high strength. In addition to the stress-strain curves, the material is characterized by scanning electron microscopy.

Compounding of elastin polypentapeptide to collagen analogue: a potential elastomeric prosthetic material

The polypentapeptide, H-(L . Val1-L . Pro2-Gly3-L . Val4-Gly5)n-L . Val-OMe, which is the most common recurring sequence within the elastic fiber, is demonstrated to be elastomeric when irradiation cross-linked but to have limited strength. On irradiation compounding with a collagen analogue, such as Dacron, stress-strain studies show the product to have an elastic modulus greater than that of fibrous aortic elastin and similar to that of aortic wall. In addition, the compounded product has the requisite strength. Of the 40, 50 and 60 MRAD cross-linked polypentapeptide-Dacron products, those derived from the larger doses of 50 and 60 MRAD exhibited somewhat better elastomeric properties. The unstretched and stretched products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy which demonstrated the importance of a fabric weave with a uniform extension. In general irradiation cross-linking has the advantage of being able to produce larger quantities of elastomeric material and compounding to a collagen analogue provides the required strength.

Reverse turns in peptides and proteins

The evidence that reverse turns frequently occur as structural components of proteins, as well as of linear and cyclic peptides, is overwhelming. This review summarizes and examines critically the experimental evidence derived from physical methods such as 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, spin-lattice relaxation time, circular dichroism, IR spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. Secondly, theoretical evidence obtained from energy calculations, which rely on empirical energy functions, and correlative methods, which rely on algorithms based on the frequency of occurrence of amino acids, is evaluated. In particular, those theoretical studies for which complementary physical studies have been completed are emphasized. Finally, examples of structure-function relationships involving reverse turns and their biological recognition are demonstrated.

Coacervation properties in sequential polypeptide models of elastin. Synthesis of H-(Ala-Pro-Gly-Gly)n-Val-OMe and H-(Ala-Pro-Gly-Val-Gly)n-Val-OMe

Syntheses of two sequential polypeptides H-(Ala-Pro-Gly-Gly)n-Val-OMe and H-(Ala-Pro-Gly-Val-Gly)n-Val-OMe via the p-nitrophenyl active ester procedure are reported. The two polymers were obtained in good yields and the polymers were shown to be of large molecular weights, n greater than 40. These two polypeptides were synthesized as analogs of the two coacervating sequential polypeptides H-(Val-Pro-Gly-Gly)n-Val-OMe, and H-(Val-Pro-Gly-Val-Gly)n-Val-OMe, in which the Val-l residue is replaced by an Ala-l residue. H-(Ala-Pro-Gly-Gly)n-Val-OMe did not coacervate even at as high a temperature as 100 degrees, and H-(Ala-Pro-Gly-Val-Gly)n-Val-OMe did not coacervate; however, it precipitated irreversibly around 65--70 degrees C. This suggests the critical role of the Val-Pro hydrophobic side chain interaction in coacervation.