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    Multifunctional coatings combining bioactive peptides and affinity-based cytokine delivery for enhanced integration of degradable vascular grafts
    (Cambridge : Royal Soc. of Chemistry, 2020) Clauder, Franziska; Zitzmann, Franziska D.; Friebe, Sabrina; Mayr, Stefan G.; Robitzki, Andrea A.; Beck-Sickinger, Annette G.
    Insufficient endothelialization of cardiovascular devices is a high-risk factor for implant failure. Presentation of extracellular matrix (ECM)-derived coatings is a well-known strategy to improve implant integration. However, the complexity of the system is challenging and strategies for applying multifunctionality are required. Here, we engineered mussel-derived surface-binding peptides equipped with integrin (c[RGDfK]) and proteoglycan binding sites (FHRRIKA) for enhanced endothelialization. Surface-binding properties of the platform containing l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) residues were confirmed for hydrophilized polycaprolactone-co-lactide scaffolds as well as for glass and polystyrene. Further, heparin and the heparin-binding angiogenic factors VEGF, FGF-2 and CXCL12 were immobilized onto the peptide in a modular assembly. Presentation of bioactive peptides greatly enhanced human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) adhesion and survival under static and fluidic conditions. In subsequent investigations, peptide-heparin-complexes loaded with CXCL12 or VEGF had an additional increasing effect on cell viability, differentiation and migration. Finally, hemocompatibility of the coatings was ensured. This study demonstrates that coatings combining adhesion peptides, glycosaminoglycans and modulators are a versatile tool to convey ECM-inspired multifunctionality to biomaterials and efficiently promote their integration. © 2020 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
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    Bicyclic RGD peptides enhance nerve growth in synthetic PEG-based Anisogels
    (Cambridge : RSC, 2021) Vedaraman, Sitara; Bernhagen, Dominik; Haraszti, Tamas; Licht, Christopher; Castro Nava, Arturo; Omidinia Anarkoli, Abdolrahman; Timmerman, Peter; De Laporte, Laura
    Nerve regeneration scaffolds often consist of soft hydrogels modified with extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins or fragments, as well as linear and cyclic peptides. One of the commonly used integrin-mediated cell adhesive peptide sequences is Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD). Despite its straightforward coupling mechanisms to artificial extracellular matrix (aECM) constructs, linear RGD peptides suffer from low stability towards degradation and lack integrin selectivity. Cyclization of RGD improves the affinity towards integrin subtypes but lacks selectivity. In this study, a new class of short bicyclic peptides with RGD in a cyclic loop and 'random screened' tri-amino acid peptide sequences in the second loop is investigated as a biochemical cue for cell growth inside three-dimensional (3D) synthetic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based Anisogels. These peptides impart high integrin affinity and selectivity towards either αvβ3 or α5β1 integrin subunits. Enzymatic conjugation of such bicyclic peptides to the PEG backbone enables the formulation of an aECM hydrogel that supports nerve growth. Furthermore, different proteolytic cleavable moieties are incorporated and compared to promote cell migration and proliferation, resulting in enhanced cell growth with different degradable peptide crosslinkers. Mouse fibroblasts and primary nerve cells from embryonic chick dorsal root ganglions (DRGs) show superior growth in bicyclic RGD peptide conjugated gels selective towards αvβ3 or α5β1, compared to monocyclic or linear RGD peptides, with a slight preference to αvβ3 selective bicyclic peptides in the case of nerve growth. Synthetic Anisogels, modified with bicyclic RGD peptides and containing short aligned, magneto-responsive fibers, show oriented DRG outgrowth parallel to the fibers. This report shows the potential of PEG hydrogels coupled with bicyclic RGD peptides as an aECM model and paves the way for a new class of integrin selective biomolecules for cell growth and nerve regeneration.