Nanostructure Formation and Cell Spheroid Morphogenesis of a Peptide Supramolecular Hydrogel

Author(s)

de Mello, Lucas R. ; Carrascosa, Vinicius ; Rebelato, Eduardo ; Juliano, Maria A. ; Hamley, Ian W. ; Castelletto, Valeria ; Vassiliades, Sandra V. ; Alves, Wendel A. ; Nakaie, Clovis R. ; da Silva, Emerson R.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Langmuir; v. 38, n. 11, p. 12-pg., 2022-03-22.

Abstract

Peptide-based hydrogels have attracted much attention due to their extraordinary applications in biomedicine and offer an excellent mimic for the 3D microenvironment of the extracellular matrix. These hydrated matrices comprisefibrousnetworks held together by a delicate balance of intermolecularforces. Here, we investigate the hydrogelation behavior of a designed decapeptide containing a tetraleucine self-assemblingbackbone andfibronectin-related tripeptides near both ends of the strand. We have observed that this synthetic peptide can producehydrogel matrices entrapping >99% wt/vol % water. Ultra-structural analyses combining atomic force microscopy, small-angle neutron scattering, and X-ray diffraction revealed thatamyloid-likefibrils form cross-linked networks endowed with remarkable thermal stability, the structure of which is not disrupted upto temperatures >80 degrees C. We also examined the interaction of peptide hydrogels with either NIH3T3 mousefibroblasts or HeLa cells and discovered that the matrices sustain cell viability and induce morphogenesis into grape-like cell spheroids. The results presented here show that this decapeptide is a remarkable building block to prepare highly stable scaffolds simultaneously endowed with highwater retention capacity and the ability to instruct cell growth into tumor-like spheroids even in noncarcinoma lineages (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/23269-9 - Synthetic and structural studies of peptide and polymers: from the improvement of the synthesis methodology and the search for peptide derivatives for biotechnological applications
• Grantee: Clovis Ryuichi Nakaie
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 19/19719-1 - Bioactive peptide matrices: from molecular structure to biomedical applications
• Grantee: Lucas Rodrigues de Mello
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 17/02317-2 - Interfaces in materials: electronic, magnetic, structural and transport properties
• Grantee: Adalberto Fazzio
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 21/10092-6 - Development of bioactive peptide matrices: from molecular structure to biomedical applications
• Grantee: Lucas Rodrigues de Mello
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 14/50867-3 - INCT 2014: National Institute of Science and Technology in Bioanalysis
• Grantee: Marco Aurelio Zezzi Arruda
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants