Issue 32, 2019

Designer artificial membrane binding proteins to direct stem cells to the myocardium

Abstract

We present a new cell membrane modification methodology where the inherent heart tissue homing properties of the infectious bacteria Streptococcus gordonii are transferred to human stem cells. This is achieved via the rational design of a chimeric protein–polymer surfactant cell membrane binding construct, comprising the cardiac fibronectin (Fn) binding domain of the bacterial adhesin protein CshA fused to a supercharged protein. Significantly, the protein–polymer surfactant hybrid spontaneously inserts into the plasma membrane of stem cells without cytotoxicity, instilling the cells with a high affinity for immobilized fibronectin. Moreover, we show that this cell membrane reengineering approach significantly improves retention and homing of stem cells delivered either intracardially or intravenously to the myocardium in a mouse model.

Graphical abstract: Designer artificial membrane binding proteins to direct stem cells to the myocardium

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
31 May 2019
Accepted
07 Jun 2019
First published
03 Jul 2019
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2019,10, 7610-7618

Designer artificial membrane binding proteins to direct stem cells to the myocardium

W. Xiao, T. I. P. Green, X. Liang, R. C. Delint, G. Perry, M. S. Roberts, K. Le Vay, C. R. Back, R. Ascione, H. Wang, P. R. Race and A. W. Perriman, Chem. Sci., 2019, 10, 7610 DOI: 10.1039/C9SC02650A

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