Amino Acid-Functionalized Polyelectrolyte Films as Bioactive Surfaces for Cell Adhesion

Surfaces were prepared with polyelectrolyte derivatives of poly(styrene- alt-maleic anhydride) (PSMA) functionalized with amino acids of different hydropathy indices, with the aim of evaluating the effect of the chemical functionality of polyelectrolytes on SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell adhesion. Functionalizing PSMA derivatives with l-glutamine, l-methionine, and l-tyrosine yielded PSMA-Gln, PSMA-Met, and PSMA-Tyr polyelectrolytes, respectively. We first studied the adsorption behavior of PSMA functionalized with amino acids on silicon wafer surfaces modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane at pH 4.0 and 7.0 and at low and high ionic strengths. The highest rate of polyelectrolyte adsorption was at pH 4.0 and high ionic strength and was higher with the glutamine and tyrosine films. The advance contact angles (θ_A) of the polyelectrolyte surfaces showed a moderate effect of ionic strength and pH on polyelectrolyte film wettability, with PSMA-Tyr being slightly more hydrophobic. Atomic force microscopy images of the polyelectrolyte surfaces showed two types of morphology: the well-defined globular nanostructure of PSMA-Met and PSMA-Tyr and densely packed nanofibrous-like structure of PSMA-Gln. The highest level of ionic strength caused a slight decrease in the size of the nanostructure that formed the surface domains, which was reflected in the degree of surface roughness. Cell adhesion assays with the polyelectrolyte film showed that SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells cultured on PSMA-Met present a well-extended morphology characterized by a stellate shape, with five or more actin-rich thin processes, whereas SH-SY5Y cells that were seeded on PSMA-Gln and PSMA-Tyr have a round morphology, with fewer and shorter processes. These results indicate that it is possible to modulate the surface characteristics of polyelectrolyte films based on their chemical functionality and environmental parameters such as pH and ionic strength in order to evaluate their effect on cell adhesion. Thus, surfaces prepared from polyelectrolytes functionalized with amino acids are an attractive and simple platform for cell adhesion, which can be used in developing biomaterials with modulated surface properties.

Self-organizing behaviour of glycosteroidal bolaphiles: insights into lipidic microsegregation

In this article we describe work on the synthesis of bolaphile biomimics composed of glucose head groups and steroidal units linked together by a methylene chain of varying length. The condensed phases formed by self-organization of the products as a function of temperature were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry and thermal polarized light microscopy. The results of these studies show that the thermal stabilities of the lamellar mesophases formed vary linearly as a function of increasing aliphatic composition, which reflects a linear hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance with respect to transition temperatures.

Thermotropic liquid crystalline glycolipids

Are the liquid crystalline properties of the materials of living systems important in biological structures, functions, diseases and treatments? There is a growing consciousness that the observed lyotropic, and often thermotropic liquid crystallinity, of many biological materials that possess key biological functionality might be more than curious coincidence. Rather, as the survival of living systems depends on the flexibility and reformability of structures, it seems more likely that it is the combination of softness and structure of the liquid-crystalline state that determines the functionality of biological materials. The richest sources of liquid crystals derived from living systems are found in cell membranes, of these glycolipids are a particularly important class of components. In this critical review, we will examine the relationship between chemical structure and the self-assembling and self-organising properties of glycolipids that ultimately lead to mesophase formation.

Ultrasound in carbohydrate chemistry: sonophysical glucose oligomerisation and sonocatalysed sucrose oxidation

Both aspects of the interest in using ultrasound are illustrated by our results in the field of carbohydrate chemistry. The course of the heterogeneous reaction of glucose with hydrophobic alcohols in acidic medium is directed towards the oligomerisation of glucose because of the wetting of the glucose suspension due to the efficiency of the sonophysical mixing. On the other hand, a sonocatalysis is observed during the course of the oxidation of primary hydroxyl groups in homogeneous aqueous medium by the NaOCl/TEMPO system.

Sucrose tricarboxylate by sonocatalysed TEMPO-mediated oxidation

Oxidation of sucrose by the NaOCl/TEMPO system provided sucrose tricarboxylate without the addition of sodium bromide as co-catalyst when high-frequency (500 kHz) ultrasound was applied, in contrast to very limited conversion without sonication. In the presence of sodium bromide, sonication also caused acceleration of the oxidation. The rate increase due to sonication of the oxidant system prior to sucrose addition suggests that ultrasound acts at the level of the formation of the nitrosonium ion, the active oxidising species in the catalytic cycle.

Preparation of alpha -and beta-dienyl glycosides used as dienes in aqueous Diels-Alder reactions. Influence of the carbohydrate moiety on the thermodynamics of the reaction

A series of 1,3-butadienyl glycosides (mono- and di-saccharides) have been prepared and the kinetics of their Diels-Alder reaction with buten-2-one in water have been studied. The activation parameters for these aqueous cycloadditions provide clues for the hydration structure of such glyco-organic compounds.