Self-assembly of short peptides to form hydrogels: Design of building blocks, physical properties and technological applications

Fichman, Galit; Gazit, Ehud

doi:10.1016/j.actbio.2013.08.013

Cited by 408 publications

(310 citation statements)

References 105 publications

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“…One such class of LMWH are short synthetic peptides, which are of significant interest as they can be synthesised using standard chemical routes and therefore be obtained with high definition and high purity. In addition, being built out of natural amino acids, they can be designed to be biocompatible and biodegradable and can be metabolised by the body 10, 11, 12…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Peptide hydrogel in vitro non‐inflammatory potential

Markey

Workman

Bruce

et al. 2016

Journal of Peptide Science

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Peptide‐based hydrogels have attracted significant interest in recent years as these soft, highly hydrated materials can be engineered to mimic the cell niche with significant potential applications in the biomedical field. Their potential use in vivo in particular is dependent on their biocompatibility, including their potential to cause an inflammatory response. In this work, we investigated in vitro the inflammatory potential of a β‐sheet forming peptide (FEFEFKFK; F: phenylalanine, E: glutamic acid; K: lysine) hydrogel by encapsulating murine monocytes within it (3D culture) and using the production of cytokines, IL‐β, IL‐6 and TNFα, as markers of inflammatory response. No statistically significant release of cytokines in our test sample (media + gel + cells) was observed after 48 or 72 h of culture showing that our hydrogels do not incite a pro‐inflammatory response in vitro. These results show the potential biocompatibility of these hydrogels and therefore their potential for in vivo use. The work also highlighted the difference in monocyte behaviour, proliferation and morphology changes when cultured in 2D vs. 3D. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Peptide Science published by European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Peptide hydrogel in vitro non‐inflammatory potential

Markey

Workman

Bruce

et al. 2016

Journal of Peptide Science

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“…Such protected dipeptides are widely used hydrogelators, such that a significant number of groups have focused on this class of LMWG. 69,70 Naphthalene-protected dipeptides were first reported by Yang et al 71 We have used this class of material and found that they can be very robust gelators. For example, 2NapFF can form hydrogels by using a range of triggers and is an excellent example of a complicated system that exemplifies how the process of assembly matters ( Figure 5).…”

Section: Process Of Assemblymentioning

confidence: 99%

Low-Molecular-Weight Gels: The State of the Art

Draper

Adams

2017

Chem

517

469

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Low-molecular-weight gels are currently a hugely important class of materials that are attracting significant interest. These gels are formed when small molecules self-assemble into one-dimensional structures that entangle and cross-link to form a network that is capable of immobilizing the solvent. Here, we critically discuss the current state of the art and highlight two key areas where we believe there is significant untapped potential. The first is the observation that the properties of the gels are highly process dependent, which means that it is possible to access materials with very different properties from a single gelator. Second, using multiple gelators offers the opportunity to prepare materials with a high degree of information content and with a wider range of properties. We aim to spark thought and discussion on these aspects. INTRODUCTIONLow-molecular-weight gels (LMWGs), or supramolecular gels, are a fascinating and useful class of material. The gels arise from the self-assembly of small molecules into long, anisotropic structures, most commonly fibers. [1][2][3][4][5] At a sufficiently high concentration, these fibers entangle or otherwise form cross-links, leading to the network that is able to immobilize the solvent through surface tension and capillary forces. 1,2 These gels differ from permanently covalently cross-linked polymer gels because the cross-linking can be reversed by the input of energy, for example, by heating. 6 LMWGs have been around for many years but are receiving considerable current interest. 4 They are also used in industrial products, 7 although this seems rarely discussed in the academic literature.In addition to the industrial applications, many recent advances and uses are being described. [8][9][10][11][12] The specific self-assembly leading to gel formation can be exploited. For example, the fiber formation is a result of molecular stacking, meaning that the self-assembly leads to aggregates that can be suitable for optoelectronic applications. 13,14 The ready reversibility of gelation can be exploited, for example, to release cells from gels on demand in a manner that does not lead to cell death. 15 Ready gel formation by a simple trigger can also be used to allow easy and efficient gel loading. [16][17][18] Unsurprisingly, therefore, there is significant interest in these materials ( Figure 1). This is a fascinating area and in many ways holds attention because of the difficulties in probing and understanding the gels. The gels arise from assembly across many length scales, and understanding all of these is difficult. At the molecular level, the molecules must interact in a manner that leads to the formation of suitable aggregates that can eventually entangle. Thus, one-dimensional growth must be favored. From this perspective, it is very frustrating that it is often extremely difficult to predict whether a molecule will form a gel or not; indeed, gelation has been described as an empirical science. 4 Structurally similar small molecules can exhibitThe Bigger Pict...

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“…The self‐assembly of oligopeptide sequences into nanostructures holds promise for a range of applications in biomedicine, food science, cosmetics, and nanotechnology 1, 2, 3. These materials can be readily synthesized, providing hydrogel systems with robust mechanical properties 3.…”

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confidence: 99%

Tunable Pentapeptide Self‐Assembled β‐Sheet Hydrogels

2018

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Oligopeptide‐based supramolecular hydrogels hold promise in a range of applications. The gelation of these systems is hard to control, with minor alterations in the peptide sequence significantly influencing the self‐assembly process. We explored three pentapeptide sequences with different charge distributions and discovered that they formed robust, pH‐responsive hydrogels. By altering the concentration and charge distribution of the peptide sequence, the stiffness of the hydrogels could be tuned across two orders of magnitude (2–200 kPa). Also, through reassembly of the β‐sheet interactions the hydrogels could self‐heal and they demonstrated shear‐thin behavior. Using spectroscopic and cryo‐imaging techniques, we investigated the relationship between peptide sequence and molecular structure, and how these influence the mechanical properties of the hydrogel. These pentapeptide hydrogels with tunable morphology and mechanical properties have promise in tissue engineering, injectable delivery vectors, and 3D printing applications.

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Self-assembly of short peptides to form hydrogels: Design of building blocks, physical properties and technological applications

Cited by 408 publications

References 105 publications

Peptide hydrogel in vitro non‐inflammatory potential

Peptide hydrogel in vitro non‐inflammatory potential

Low-Molecular-Weight Gels: The State of the Art

Tunable Pentapeptide Self‐Assembled β‐Sheet Hydrogels

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