Expanding the toolkit of modular and functional synthetic material systems for biomimetic extracellular matrices (ECMs) is needed for achieving more predictable and characterizable cell culture. In the present study, we engineered a synthetic hydrogel system incorporating poly(γ-propargyl-l-glutamate) (PPLG), an N-carboxy anhydride polypeptide with a unique α-helical secondary structure. PPLG macromers were cross-linked into poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) networks to form hybrid polypeptide-PEG hydrogels. We compared the properties of PPLG-PEG to systems where the PPLG macromers were replaced with 8-arm PEG or poly(γ-propargyl-d,l-glutamate) (PPDLG), which has a flexible random-coil conformation. We evaluated each hydrogel system as synthetic ECMs for two-dimensional (2D) endothelial cell culture. Cells on PPLG-PEG displayed superior attachment and spreading at comparable adhesion ligand incorporation concentrations, demonstrating the unique benefit of combining the more rigid and hydrophobic α-helical PPLG within the more flexible and hydrophilic PEG matrix. The modular PPLG macromer is a promising building block for developing other types of PPLG-based hydrogels with favorable and tunable properties.

中文翻译：

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工程螺旋模块化多肽基水凝胶作为细胞培养的合成细胞外基质。

需要扩展用于仿生细胞外基质（ECM）的模块化和功能性合成材料系统的工具包，以实现更可预测和可表征的细胞培养。在本研究中，我们设计了一种合成水凝胶系统，该系统结合了聚（γ-炔丙基-1-谷氨酸）（PPLG），一种具有独特的α-螺旋二级结构的N-羧酸酐多肽。将PPLG大分子单体交联到聚（乙二醇）（PEG）网络中，以形成杂合多肽-PEG水凝胶。我们将PPLG-PEG的性能与使用8臂PEG或具有柔性无规卷曲构象的聚（γ-炔丙基-d，1-谷氨酸）（PPDLG）取代PPLG大分子单体的系统进行了比较。我们将每个水凝胶系统评估为二维（2D）内皮细胞培养的合成ECM。PPLG-PEG上的细胞显示出优异的附着力，并在相当的粘附配体掺入浓度下扩散，证明了将更坚硬和疏水的α-螺旋PPLG结合在更柔软和亲水的PEG基质中的独特优势。模块化PPLG大分子单体是开发具有良好和可调节特性的其他类型的基于PPLG的水凝胶的有前途的构建基块。