Combination of integrin-binding peptide and growth factor promotes cell adhesion on electron-beam-fabricated patterns.

Understanding and controlling cell adhesion on engineered scaffolds is important in biomaterials and tissue engineering. In this report we used an electron-beam (e-beam) lithography technique to fabricate patterns of a cell adhesive integrin ligand combined with a growth factor. Specifically, micron-sized poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels with aminooxy- and styrene sulfonate-functional groups were fabricated. Cell adhesion moieties were introduced using a ketone-functionalized arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) peptide to modify the O-hydroxylamines by oxime bond formation. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was immobilized by electrostatic interaction with the sulfonate groups. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) formed focal adhesion complexes on RGD- and RGD and bFGF-immobilized patterns as shown by immunostaining of vinculin and actin. In the presence of both bFGF and RGD, cell areas were larger. The data demonstrate confinement of cellular focal adhesions to chemically and physically well-controlled microenvironments created by a combination of e-beam lithography and "click" chemistry techniques. The results also suggest positive implications for addition of growth factors into adhesive patterns for cell-material interactions.

Protein nanopatterns by oxime bond formation.

Patterning proteins on the nanoscale is important for applications in biology and medicine. As feature sizes are reduced, it is critical that immobilization strategies provide site-specific attachment of the biomolecules. In this study, oxime chemistry was exploited to conjugate proteins onto nanometer-sized features. Poly(Boc-aminooxy tetra(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) was synthesized by free radical polymerization. The polymer was patterned onto silicon wafers using an electron beam writer. Trifluoroacetic acid removal of the Boc groups provided the desired aminooxy functionality. In this manner, patterns of concentric squares and contiguous bowtie shapes were fabricated with 150-170-nm wide features. Ubiquitin modified at the N-terminus with an α-ketoamide group and N(ε)-levulinyl lysine-modified bovine serum albumin were subsequently conjugated to the polymer nanopatterns. Protein immobilization was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy. Control studies on protected surfaces and using proteins presaturated with O-methoxyamine indicated that attachment occurred via oxime bond formation.

Emerging synthetic approaches for protein-polymer conjugations.

Protein-polymer conjugates are important in diverse fields including drug delivery, biotechnology, and nanotechnology. This feature article highlights recent advances in the synthesis and application of protein-polymer conjugates by controlled radical polymerization techniques. Special emphasis on new applications of the materials, particularly in biomedicine, is provided.

Directed carbon nanotube assembly using a pyrene-functionalized polymer.

A pyrene-functionalized polymer was patterned via electron beam lithography onto a silicon wafer and shown to selectively bind with carbon nanotubes.

Positioning multiple proteins at the nanoscale with electron beam cross-linked functional polymers.

Constructing multicomponent protein structures that match the complexity of those found in nature is essential for the next generation of medical materials. In this report, a versatile method for precisely arranging multicomponent protein nanopatterns in two-dimensional single-layer or three-dimensional multilayer formats using electron beam lithography is described. Eight-arm poly(ethylene glycol)s (PEGs) were modified at the chain ends with either biotin, maleimide, aminooxy, or nitrilotriacetic acid. Analysis by 1H NMR spectroscopy revealed that the reactions were efficient and that end-group conversions were 91-100%. The polymers were then cross-linked onto Si surfaces using electron beams to form micron-sized patterns of the functional groups. Proteins with biotin binding sites, a free cysteine, an N-terminal alpha-oxoamide, and a histidine tag, respectively, were then incubated with the substrate in aqueous solutions without the addition of any other reagents. By fluorescence microscopy experiments it was determined that proteins reacted site-specifically with the exposed functional groups to form micropatterns. Multicomponent nanoscale protein patterns were then fabricated. Different PEGs with orthogonal reactivities were sequentially patterned on the same chip. Simultaneous assembly of two different proteins from a mixture of the biomolecules formed the multicomponent two-dimensional patterns. Atomic force microscopy demonstrated that nanometer-sized polymer patterns were formed, and fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that side-by-side patterns of the different proteins were obtained. Moreover, multilayer PEG fabrication produced micron- and nanometer-sized patterns of one functional group on top of the other. Precise three-dimensional arrangements of different proteins were then realized.

Designed amino acid ATRP initiators for the synthesis of biohybrid materials.

A synthetic strategy to prepare peptide-polymer conjugates with precise sites of attachment is described. Amino acids modified with atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiators for the polymerization of styrenes and methacrylates were prepared. Fmoc-4-(1-chloroethyl)-phenylalanine (5) was synthesized in four steps from Fmoc-tyrosine. HATU-mediated amidation with glycine-OMe resulted in dipeptide (6). The initiator was effective for Cu(I)/bipyridine mediated bulk polymerization of styrene. Kinetic studies indicated a controlled polymerization, with high conversion (97%), and a polydispersity index (PDI) of 1.25. Fmoc-O-(2-bromoisobutyryl)-serine tert-butyl ester (10) was synthesized from Fmoc-Ser(OTrt)-OH in three steps. This initiator was employed in the ATRP of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), and kinetic studies indicated a controlled polymerization. Different monomer to initiator ratios resulted in poly(HEMA) of different molecular weights and narrow PDIs (1.14-1.25). Conversions were between 70 and 99%. HEMA modified with N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) was also polymerized to 84% conversion and the resulting PDI was 1.19. The t-butyl ester protecting group of 10 was removed, and the resulting amino acid (11) was incorporated into VM(11)VVQTK by standard solid-phase peptide synthesis. Polymerization resulted in the glycopolymer-peptide conjugate in 93% conversion and a PDI of 1.14.

Nanoscale growth factor patterns by immobilization on a heparin-mimicking polymer.

In this study, electrostatic interactions between sulfonate groups of an immobilized polymer and the heparin binding domains of growth factors important in cell signaling were exploited to nanopattern the proteins. Poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate-co-poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) (pSS-co-pPEGMA) was synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization using ethyl S-thiobenzoyl-2-thiopropionate as a chain transfer agent and 2,2'-azoisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as the initiator. The resulting polymer (1) was characterized by 1H NMR, GPC, FT-IR, and UV-vis and had a number average molecular weight (Mn) of 24,000 and a polydispersity index (PDI) of 1.17. The dithioester end group of 1 was reduced to the thiol, and the polymer was subsequently immobilized on a gold substrate. Binding of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to the polymer via the heparin binding domains was then confirmed by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The interactions were stable at physiological salt concentrations. Polymer 1 was cross-linked onto silicon wafers using an electron beam writer forming micro- and nanopatterns. Resolutions of 100 nm and arbitrary nanoscale features such as concentric circles and contiguous squares and triangles were achieved. Fluorescence microscopy confirmed that bFGF and VEGF were subsequently immobilized to the polymer micro- and nanopatterns.