Issue 10, 2013

Controllably degradable β-sheet nanofibers and gels from self-assembling depsipeptides

Abstract

Self-assembled peptide materials have received considerable interest for a range of applications, including 3D cell culture, tissue engineering, and the delivery of cells and drugs. One challenge in applying such materials within these areas has been the extreme stability of β-sheet fibrillized peptides, which are resistant to proteolysis, degradation, and turnover in biological environments. In this study, we designed self-assembling depsipeptides containing ester bonds within the peptide backbone. Beta-sheet fibrillized nanofibers were formed in physiologic conditions, and two of these nanofiber-forming depsipeptides produced hydrogels that degraded controllably over the course of days-to-weeks via ester hydrolysis. With HPLC, TEM, and oscillating rheometry, we show that the rate of hydrolysis can be controlled in a straightforward manner by specifying the amino acid residues surrounding the ester bond. In 3D cell cultures, depsipeptide gels softened over the course of several days and permitted considerably more proliferation and spreading of C3H10T1/2 pluripotent stem cells than non-degradable analogs. This approach now provides a reliable and reproducible means to soften or clear β-sheet fibrillized peptide materials from biological environments.

Graphical abstract: Controllably degradable β-sheet nanofibers and gels from self-assembling depsipeptides

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
28 Jun 2013
Accepted
25 Jul 2013
First published
13 Aug 2013

Biomater. Sci., 2013,1, 1037-1045

Controllably degradable β-sheet nanofibers and gels from self-assembling depsipeptides

Y. F. Tian, G. A. Hudalla, H. Han and J. H. Collier, Biomater. Sci., 2013, 1, 1037 DOI: 10.1039/C3BM60161G

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements