Tetrapeptide-Based Hydrogels: for Encapsulation and Slow Release of an Anticancer Drug at Physiological pH

Abstract

Here, we report two synthetic oligopeptide-based, thermoreversible, pH-sensitive hydrogels. In gel phase, these self-assembling tetrapeptides form a long interconnected nanofibrilar network structure, as is evident from various microscopic techniques, including field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). FTIR, circular dichroism, and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) favor an antiparallel beta-sheet structure of these gelators in the gel state. Finally, these hydrogels have been utilized for entrapment and slow release of an anticancer drug doxorubicin at physiological pH, promising their future application as a drug delivery vehicle.

Assembly of an Injectable Noncytotoxic Peptide-Based Hydrogelator for Sustained Release of Drugs

“…A sharp peak at 1688 cm −1 clearly suggests the presence of an antiparallel β-sheet arrangement of the gelator peptide molecules within the gel phase material. 13 X-ray Diffraction Studies. To gain insight about the molecular arrangement within the supramolecular network structure, SAXS on gels and wide-angle powder XRD of the xerogel were carried out.…”

“…In this study, d = 4.92 Å is the distance between the peptide chains within a β-sheet, while the d spacing of 8.44 Å can be characterized as the distance between two stacked β-sheets. 13 Another peak at d = 3.76 Å signifies the π−π interaction between the phenyl rings of the molecules in the three-dimensional network structure ( Figure 3). 56 Combining these results obtained from X-ray diffraction and FT-IR analyses, it can be concluded that the gelator peptide molecules are self-assembled in the gel state to form a β-sheet-like structure.…”

“…23−25 Peptide-and amino acid-based hydrogels belong to a special category of gels due to their inherent biocompatibility for designing biomaterials with a vast range of applications including sustained release of drug and important biomolecules, 13,14,26−28 cell culture and tissue engineering, 29 and pollutant removal from wastewater 30,31 as well as for catalysis of chemical reactions. 32 Moreover, these gels are easy to make, and the functional properties of these gels can be nicely tuned by manipulating the amino acid sequence of the peptide gelator molecules.…”

The interactions between doxorubicin and amphiphilic and acidic β-sheet peptides towards drug delivery hydrogels

“…It is reasonable to assume that the diffusion of Dox molecules from the hydrogel is governed by electrostatic, p-stacking and hydrophobic interactions. Furthermore, Dox molecules were previously released from Phe containing hydrophobic peptides that may also be attributed to hydrophobic and p-stacking interactions [37].…”

A 3D model of ovarian cancer cell lines on peptide nanofiber scaffold to explore the cell–scaffold interaction and chemotherapeutic resistance of anticancer drugs

“…Thus far, in the case of neural stem cells, RADA16-I peptide nanofiber scaffold has comprehensively been compared with the most commonly used scaffolds, including PLLA, PLGA, PCLA, type I collagen, type IV collagen, and Matrigel, which indicates that RADA16-I peptide nanofiber scaffold represents a new class of functionalized and biologically active nanofiber scaffold. 22 The well-defined nanofiber networks and the characteristics of the high H 2 O content make it a very attractive class of biological nanomaterial. It is favorable for cell adhesion and differentiation.…”