Journal
ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
Volume 7, Issue 6, Pages 2605-2614Publisher
AMER CHEMICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.0c01658
Keywords
biocompatible materials; self-assembly; nucleopeptide; hydrogel; scaffold design; cell supports; tissue engineering; regenerative medicine
Categories
Funding
- National Science Foundation [1609212]
- Division Of Materials Research
- Direct For Mathematical & Physical Scien [1609212] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Hydrogels made from self-assembling peptides offer advantages in tissue engineering, but are currently limited by potential toxicity and harsh gelation conditions. Peptides conjugated to nucleobases provide a natural alternative to mitigate cytotoxicity. By modulating gelation with biological buffers and salts, mechanical properties can be tuned and opportunities for tissue engineering applications of short peptides are expanded.
Hydrogels made from self-assembling peptides have significant advantages in tissue engineering, namely a biocompatible nature and large molecular repertoire. Short peptides in particular allow for straightforward synthesis, self-assembly, and reproducibility. Applications are currently limited, however, due to potential toxicity of the chemical modifications that drive self-assembly and harsh gelation conditions. Peptides conjugated to nucleobases present one opportunity for a naturally derived species to minimize cytotoxicity. We have developed a hydrogel-formation environment for nucleopeptide gelation modulated entirely by biological buffers and salts. Self-assembly in this system is dependent on buffer and ion identity mediated by pK(a) and formulation in the former and by valency and ionicity in the latter. Solutions at physiological pH and osmolarity, and in turn compatible with cell culture, initiate hydrogel formation and analytical and computational methods are used to explore pH and salt effects at the molecular and structural level. The mechanism of nucleopeptide self-assembly enables tuning of mechanical properties through the addition of divalent cations and one order of magnitude increase in hydrogel storage modulus. The stability of these constructs therefore provides an opportunity for long-term cell culture, and we demonstrate survival and proliferation of fibroblasts on hydrogel surfaces. This novel, biological buffer-mediated gelation methodology expands opportunities for tissue engineering applications of short peptides and their derivatives.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available