Control of Cell-Substrate Binding Related to Cell Proliferation Cycle Status Using a Cytocompatible Phospholipid Polymer Bearing Phenylboronic Acid Groups

To provide high-quality cellular raw materials for cell engineering and pharmaceutical engineering, a polymer substrate is prepared for cell separation focusing on the cell proliferation cycle. There are many types of sugar chains on cell membranes, which function as signaling molecules to control interactions with the exterior of the cell; their abundance changes during the cell-proliferation cycle. In this study, a phenylboronic acid group, which has affinity for sugar chains, is introduced into a polymer containing a phosphorylcholine group that does not induce cell activation. On the surface of this polymer, human promyelocytic leukemia cells can adhere. The adhesion rate is increased by pretreating the substrate with an alkaline solution. Moreover, cell adhesion is dependent on the sugar additive in the culture medium. Therefore, cell adhesion is governed by reactions between the sugar chain on the cell membrane and the phenylboronic acid groups on the substrate. It is revealed that the adhesion rate changes depending on the expression level of sugar chains related to the cell-proliferation cycle. Based on this, it may be proposed a cell proliferation cycle-specific separation process using the polymer substrate based on cell adhesion depending on sugar chain density.

Automated summary

This study investigates the relationship between cell adhesion, sugar chain density on cell membranes, and the cell proliferation cycle by introducing an affinity phenylboronic acid group into a polymer containing a phosphorylcholine group. The adhesion rate of human promyelocytic leukemia cells on the polymer substrate increases with pretreatment using an alkaline solution. Cell adhesion is found to be dependent on sugar additives in the culture medium, suggesting a specific separation process based on cell adhesion and sugar chain density related to the cell proliferation cycle.