Peptide modified polymer poly (glycerol- dodecanedioate co-fumarate) for efficient control of motor neuron differentiation

Abstract

Neural tissue engineering is one of the most promising approaches for healing nerve damage, which bypasses the limits of contemporary conventional treatments. In a previous study, we developed a fibrous scaffold via electrospinning poly (glycerol dodecanedioate) (PGD) and gelatin that mimics the structure of a native extracellular matrix (ECM) for soft tissue engineering application. In this study, fumaric acid (FA) was incorporated into the PGD synthesis process, which produced a PGD derivative referred to as poly (glycerol dodecanedioate co-fumarate) (PGDF). This introduced a new functional group, a double bond, into the polymer thus providing new modification possibilities. Arg-Gly-Asp-Cys (RGDC) and laminin peptides were chosen as biomolecules to modify the fiber and facilitate cell attachment and differentiation efficiency. The release of FA into the medium was quantified to investigate the bioreactivity of the derived scaffolds. In combination with UV crosslinking, the developed PGDF fiber mats were able to withstand degradation processes for up to 2 months, which ensures that neural tissue engineering applications are viable. Cell viability and motor neuron differentiation efficiency were demonstrated to be significantly improved with the addition of FA, RGDC and laminin peptides.

Chemically Interconnected Thermotropic Polymers for Transparency-Tunable and Impact-Resistant Windows

“…The PGD was synthesized by a recipe modified from the previously reported one. ,− In details, dodecanedioic acid (DDA, 99%, Alfa Aesar) and glycerol (>99%, synthetic, ACROS Organics) were purchased from Thermo Fisher Scientific and used without further purification. They were weighed with a 1:1 molar ratio and put into a three-necked flask for reaction.…”

Microfluidic engineering of neural stem cell niches for fate determination

“…Recently, the appearance of in vitro models incorporating NSC niche elements has facilitated studies of individual factors in NSC fate specification and possible NSC applications in regenerative medicine. 17,18 Representative engineering methods used to build in vitro NSC niches include bioactive polymers functionalized with multivalent ligands or peptides, 19,20 synthetically or biologically derived hydrogels, 21,22 3D substrates at the microscale or nanoscale with different stiffness or topographical properties, 23,24 and genetically engineered ECMs for artificial niches. 25 However, the absence of physiologically realistic NSC niche models with precise spatiotemporal control and effective methods for evaluation has hindered research of NSC fates.…”

Tailoring the physicochemical and shape memory properties of the biodegradable polymer poly(glycerol dodecanoate) via curing conditions

“…In addition to the original formulation of PGD previously reported, electrospun mats of PGD, PGD modified with fumaric acid (PGDF), or gelatin‐blended PGD have been explored for neural tissue engineering. It is presently unclear, however, if the mechanical properties of PGD can be altered to produce shape memory materials with a range of tangent stiffness values to accommodate use within multiple soft tissues.…”