Perfusion culture enhanced human endometrial stromal cell growth in alginate-multivalent integrin α5ß1 ligand scaffolds.

A method to functionalize alginate by introducing monomeric or self-assembling (tetrameric) fibronectin (FN) domains is described, leading to a functional scaffold, which is used for three dimensional (3D) culture of human endometrial stromal cells (EnSCs). EnSCs encapsulated in the functional alginate were cultured under perfusion using the TissueFlex® platform, a multiple parallel microbioreactor system for 3D cell culture. The effect of the novel scaffold and the effect of perfusion were examined. Cell viability, proliferation, and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition were determined and the results compared with those obtained with cells encapsulated in non-functionalized alginate, and also those without perfusion. Staining for focal adhesions and actin showed maximal cell adhesion only for alginate-tetrameric FN scaffolds under perfusion, associated with a significant increase in cell number over 7 days culture; in contrast to poor cell adhesion and a decrease in cell number for non-functionalized alginate scaffolds (irrespective of perfused/static culture) and 3D static culture (irrespective of the scaffold). Conjugation of alginate to FN was an absolute requirement to attenuate the loss of cell metabolic activity over 7 days culture. ECM deposition for blank alginate and alginate-monomeric FN was similar, but increased around 2-fold and 3-fold for alginate-tetrameric FN under static and perfusion culture, respectively. It is concluded that the requirement for EnSC engagement with multivalent integrin α5ß1 ligands and perfused culture are both essential as a first step toward endometrial tissue engineering.

Clustered integrin α5ß1 ligand displays model fibronectin-mediated adhesion of human endometrial stromal cells.

Progress towards endometrial tissue engineering for modelling endometrial diseases and infertility is frustrated by the inability to mimic the fibronectin (FN) extracellular matrix required by human endometrial stromal cells (EnSCs). Here we show that this is because of the requirement to present integrin α5ß1 (the FN receptor) ligands in specifically oriented, polyvalent displays; by engineering controlled self-assembly of the 9th-10th type III FN domain pair (FIII9-10, the minimal integrin α5ß1 ligand) immobilised in a specific orientation to cell culture surfaces. The fraction of adherent EnSCs seen to spread increased significantly for the multimeric ligand surfaces in the order: tetramer>trimer>dimer>monomer. The extent of EnSC spread morphology also increased in the same order, with the tetrameric ligand supporting a morphology most similar to that supported by FN. Our data suggest that only higher-order multimers of FIII9-10 will fully promote cell spreading mediated through integrin α5ß1 binding.

Silica condensation by a silicatein α homologue involves surface-induced transition to a stable structural intermediate forming a saturated monolayer.

Silicatein α exists within the protein filament of silica spicules of the marine sponge Tethya aurantium in a predominantly ß-sheet structure. However, it is produced in a soluble form with mixed α-helix/ß-sheet structure akin to its cathepsin L homologue. To understand this conformational transition in the context of enzyme catalyzed silica condensation, we used a functional, recombinant silicatein α termed 4SER. In solution, 4SER becomes conformationally unstable at pH 7 and readily unfolds to a soluble ß-sheet intermediate, losing the majority of its helical structure. This ß-sheet intermediate is present following adsorption of 4SER to a silica surface from solution. 4SER is particularly surface active, forming a near saturated monolayer on SiO2 from low bulk concentrations, without transition to multilayers at high bulk concentrations. The adsorbed intermediate remains stable during silica condensation and drying. We propose that the ß-sheet structure for silicatein α in marine sponge spicules represents a stable structural intermediate, formed upon adsorption to the silica surface.

Dimeric integrin alpha5beta1 ligands confer morphological and differentiation responses to murine embryonic stem cells.

We present the first report utilizing, and showing the functional relevance of, self-assembling polyvalent ligands specific for integrin alpha5beta1 in murine embryonic stem (mES) cell adhesion. Di, tri and tetrameric 9th-10th type III fibronectin domains (FIII9'10) were used to generate clustered integrin alpha5beta1 ligand surfaces for mES cell culture. Compared to gelatin, FIII9'10 (monomer), FIII9'10-trimer and -tetramer, the FIII9'10-dimer supported the highest number of mES cell colonies. No evidence of domain unfolding upon surface adsorption was found. Colonies appeared disperse with a spread cell morphology unless subdued back to a tight morphology with increasing concentrations of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). In the presence of LIF, mES cells adherent to the FIII9'10-dimer showed transient upregulation of Oct-4, the mesodermal transcription factor, Brachyury, and the ectodermal marker, Nestin. However, dual upregulation of Nanog maintained the mES cells in a pluripotent state, confirmed by alkaline phosphatase staining. Therefore, the behavior of mES cells adherent to dimeric integrin alpha5beta1 ligands is a largely morphological phenomenon conferring pro-differentiation signals towards mesodermal and ectodermal lineages. This work will be of interest to cell and tissue engineering groups aiming to control ES cell behavior through integrin ligand presentation and synthetic substrates.

Oligomerisation and thermal stability of polyvalent integrin alpha5beta1 ligands.

Synthetic oligomeric integrin alpha5beta1 ligands, specifically immobilised to surfaces, facilitate increased fibroblast cell spreading compared with that associated with the monomer. These ligands consist of a N-terminal fibronectin domain pair, a spacer and a di-, tri- or tetrameric coiled coil. However, it is not yet clear what effect fusion of the fibronectin domains has on the predicted oligomerisation of the coiled coils. Using analytical ultracentrifugation we show that the predicted tetrameric and trimeric coiled coils facilitate a corresponding ligand oligomerisation with half-dissociation at 0.7 and 0.2 microM, respectively. In contrast, the predicted dimeric coiled coil formed both dimers and trimers. Under non-reducing conditions, the unique C-terminal thiol-facilitated inter-oligomer dimerisation of the trimeric species, generating hexameric ligands. Disulphide bonding also increased helical stability during thermal unfolding. The work allows the cellular response to these clustered integrin alpha5beta1 ligands to be more accurately interpreted, and has wider implications with respect to the utility of coiled coils as tools to facilitate protein oligomerisation.

IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5 associate with the cell binding domain (CBD) of fibronectin.

We have used Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) - based biosensor technology to investigate the interaction of the six high affinity insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBP 1-6) with the cell binding domain (CBD) of fibronectin. Using a biotinylated derivative of the ninth and tenth TypeIII domains of FN ((9-10)FNIII), we show that IGFBP-3 and -5 bind to FN-CBD. We show that this binding is inhibited by IGF-I and that, for IGFBP-5, binding occurs through the C-terminal heparin binding domain of the protein. Using site-directed mutagenesis of (9-10)FNIII, we show both the "synergy" and RGD sites within these FN domains are required for maximum binding of both IGFBPs. We discuss the possible biological consequences of our results.

A rapid and direct method for the determination of active site accessibility in proteins based on ESI-MS and active site titrations.

We have developed an electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) technique that can be applied to rapidly determine the number of intact active sites in proteins. The methodology relies on inhibiting the protein with an active-site irreversible inhibitor and then using ESI-MS to determine the extent of inhibition. We have applied this methodology to a test system: a serine protease, subtilisin Carlsberg, and monitored the extent of inhibition by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), an irreversible serine hydrolase inhibitor as a function of the changes in immobilisation and hydration conditions. Two types of enzyme preparation were investigated, lyophilised enzymes and protein-coated microcrystals (PCMC).

Protein-coated microcrystals for use in organic solvents: application to oxidoreductases.

Protein-coated microcrystals (PCMC), a biocatalyst preparation previously demonstrated to display substantially increased transesterification activity of proteases and lipases in organic solvents when compared to their as received counterparts [Kreiner M, Moore BD, Parker MC (2001) Chem. Commun. 12:1096--1097], was applied to oxidoreductases. Horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (HLADH), catalase (CAT), soybean peroxidase and horseradish peroxidase were immobilised onto K(2)SO(4) crystals and dehydrated in a 1-step process, resulting in PCMC. These PCMC preparations showed enhanced activity in different organic solvents in most types of reactions tested. The highest activation was observed with HLADH (50-fold as active as enzyme as received) and CAT (25-fold).

DNA-coated microcrystals.

Coprecipitation leads to self-assembly of bioactive DNA on the surface of salt, sugar or amino-acid crystals and provides a rapid inexpensive immobilization method suitable for preparing dry-powder formulations of nucleic acids, useful for storage, imaging and drug delivery.

High-activity biocatalysts in organic media: solid-state buffers as the immobilisation matrix for protein-coated microcrystals.

Recently, we reported a new high-activity biocatalyst for use in organic media termed protein-coated microcrystals (PCMC) (Kreiner et al. [2001] Chem Commun 12:1096-1097). These novel particles consist of water-soluble micron-sized crystalline particles coated with the given biocatalyst(s) and are prepared in a one-step rapid dehydration process. In this study we extended the choice of immobilisation matrix from a simple inorganic salt, K(2)SO(4), to other compounds, both inorganic and zwitterionic, that act as solid-state buffers for biocatalysis in organic media. The catalytic activity of serine proteases subtilisin Carlsberg (SC) and alpha-chymotrypsin (CT) were significantly increased when coated onto the surface of solid-state buffers, as measured in acetonitrile/1wt% H(2)O. SC-PCMC with both organic and inorganic buffer carriers (Na-AMPSO, Na(2)CO(3), and NaHCO(3)) showed a 3-fold greater activity than that observed when using the unbuffered system (PCMC-SC/K(2)SO(4)). In comparison with freeze-dried preparations, this represents an approximately 3,000-fold increase in catalytic activity. Importantly, there is no improvement in catalytic activity upon external addition of any of the solid-state buffers to the reaction mixture. When acting in a solid-state buffer capacity, good buffering capacity was observed with SC-PCMC (3 wt% protein loading) prepared from a 1:1 mixture of AMPSO and AMPSO-Na. Alternatively, increasing the amount of solid-state buffer in the system allows improvement of the buffering. This can be achieved either by decreasing the protein loading of the SC/Na-AMPSO-PCMC or by addition of further external solid-state buffer to the reaction mixture. The catalytic activity of lipase-PCMC prepared from solid-state buffers was found less responsive to immobilisation.

Morphological and enzymatic responses of a recombinant Aspergillus niger to oxidative stressors in chemostat cultures.

Continuous chemostat cultures of a recombinant strain of Aspergillus niger (B1-D), engineered to produce the marker protein hen egg white lysozyme, were investigated with regard to their susceptibility to oxidative stress. The culture response to oxidative stress, produced either by addition of exogenous hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) or by high dissolved oxygen tension (DOT), was characterised in terms of the activities of two key defensive enzymes: catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Since the morphology is so critical in submerged fungal bioprocesses, the key morphological indices were analysed using a semi-automated image analysis system. Both oxidant stressors, H(2)O(2) and elevated DOT, increased both enzyme activities, however, the extent was different: exogenous H(2)O(2) led mainly to increased CAT activity, whereas gassing with O(2) enriched air, which resulted in a DOT of 165% of air saturation, increased both enzyme activities more than 2-fold compared with the control steady state culture. Addition of exogenous H(2)O(2) resulted in shorter hyphae compared with control steady state cultures. These findings indicate that it is unsound to use exogenous H(2)O(2) to simulate oxidative stress induced by elevated dissolved oxygen levels since the response to each might be quite different, both in terms of enzymatic (defensive) responses and in terms of culture morphology.