Design and Adsorption of Modular Engineered Proteins to Prepare Customized, Neuron-Compatible Coatings

Neural prosthetic implants are currently being developed for the treatment and study of both peripheral and central nervous system disorders. Effective integration of these devices upon implantation is a critical hurdle to achieving function. As a result, much attention has been directed towards the development of biocompatible coatings that prolong their in vivo lifespan. In this work, we present a novel approach to fabricate such coatings, which specifically involves the use of surface-adsorbed, nanoscale-designed protein polymers to prepare reproducible, customized surfaces. A nanoscale modular design strategy was employed to synthesize six engineered, recombinant proteins intended to mimic aspects of the extracellular matrix proteins fibronectin, laminin, and elastin as well as the cell–cell adhesive protein neural cell adhesion molecule. Physical adsorption isotherms were experimentally determined for these engineered proteins, allowing for direct calculation of the available ligand density present on coated surfaces. As confirmation that ligand density in these engineered systems impacts neuronal cell behavior, we demonstrate that increasing the density of fibronectin-derived RGD ligands on coated surfaces while maintaining uniform protein surface coverage results in enhanced neurite extension of PC-12 cells. Therefore, this engineered protein adsorption approach allows for the facile preparation of tunable, quantifiable, and reproducible surfaces for in vitro studies of cell–ligand interactions and for potential application as coatings on neural implants

Cell-Binding Domain Context Affects Cell Behavior on Engineered Proteins

A family of artificial extracellular matrix proteins developed for application in small-diameter vascular grafts is used to examine the importance of cell-binding domain context on cell adhesion and spreading. The engineered protein sequences are derived from the naturally occurring extracellular matrix proteins elastin and fibronectin. While each engineered protein contains identical CS5 cell-binding domain sequences, the lysine residues that serve as cross-linking sites are either (i) within the elastin cassettes or (ii) confined to the ends of the protein. Endothelial cells adhere specifically to the CS5 sequence in both of these proteins, but cell adhesion and spreading are more robust on proteins in which the lysine residues are confined to the terminal regions of the chain. These results may be due to altered protein conformations that affect either the accessibility of the CS5 sequence or its affinity for the α_4β_1 integrin receptor on the endothelial cell surface. Amino acid choice outside the cell-binding domain can thus have a significant impact on the behavior of cells cultured on artificial extracellular matrix proteins

Gradient lithography of engineered proteins to fabricate 2D and 3D cell culture microenvironments

Spatial patterning of proteins is a valuable technique for many biological applications and is the prevailing tool for defining microenvironments for cells in culture, a required procedure in developmental biology and tissue engineering research. However, it is still challenging to achieve protein patterns that closely mimic native microenvironments, such as gradient protein distributions with desirable mechanical properties. By combining projection dynamic mask lithography and protein engineering with non-canonical photosensitive amino acids, we demonstrate a simple, scalable strategy to fabricate any user-defined 2D or 3D stable gradient pattern with complex geometries from an artificial extracellular matrix (aECM) protein. We show that the elastic modulus and chemical nature of the gradient profile are biocompatible and allow useful applications in cell biological research

Lithographic Patterning of Photoreactive Cell-Adhesive Proteins

We describe a novel, simple method for the photolithographic patterning of cell-adhesive proteins. Intrinsically photoreactive proteins are synthesized in Escherichia coli through incorporation of the non-canonical, photosensitive amino acid para-azidophenylalanine. Upon ultraviolet irradiation at 365 nm, proteins form cross-linked films with elastic moduli that can be tuned by varying the concentration of photoreactive amino acid in the expression medium. Films of these proteins can be directly patterned using standard photolithographic techniques. We demonstrate the utility of this method of protein patterning by creating stable arrays of fibroblast cells on an engineered protein “photoresist”

Cancer-associated mesothelial cells promote ovarian cancer chemoresistance through paracrine osteopontin signaling

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynecological malignancy-related deaths, due to its widespread intraperitoneal metastases and acquired chemoresistance. Mesothelial cells are an important cellular component of the ovarian cancer microenvironment that promote metastasis. However, their role in chemoresistance is unclear. Here, we investigated whether cancer-associated mesothelial cells promote ovarian cancer chemoresistance and stemness in vitro and in vivo. We found that osteopontin is a key secreted factor that drives mesothelial-mediated ovarian cancer chemoresistance and stemness. Osteopontin is a secreted glycoprotein that is clinically associated with poor prognosis and chemoresistance in ovarian cancer. Mechanistically, ovarian cancer cells induced osteopontin expression and secretion by mesothelial cells through TGF-β signaling. Osteopontin facilitated ovarian cancer cell chemoresistance via the activation of the CD44 receptor, PI3K/AKT signaling, and ABC drug efflux transporter activity. Importantly, therapeutic inhibition of osteopontin markedly improved the efficacy of cisplatin in both human and mouse ovarian tumor xenografts. Collectively, our results highlight mesothelial cells as a key driver of ovarian cancer chemoresistance and suggest that therapeutic targeting of osteopontin may be an effective strategy for enhancing platinum sensitivity in ovarian cancer

Bioprinting Cell- and Spheroid-Laden Protein-Engineered Hydrogels as Tissue-on-Chip Platforms

Human tissues, both in health and disease, are exquisitely organized into complex three-dimensional architectures that inform tissue function. In biomedical research, specifically in drug discovery and personalized medicine, novel human-based three-dimensional (3D) models are needed to provide information with higher predictive value compared to state-of-the-art two-dimensional (2D) preclinical models. However, current in vitro models remain inadequate to recapitulate the complex and heterogenous architectures that underlie biology. Therefore, it would be beneficial to develop novel models that could capture both the 3D heterogeneity of tissue (e.g., through 3D bioprinting) and integrate vascularization that is necessary for tissue viability (e.g., through culture in tissue-on-chips). In this proof-of-concept study, we use elastin-like protein (ELP) engineered hydrogels as bioinks for constructing such tissue models, which can be directly dispensed onto endothelialized on-chip platforms. We show that this bioprinting process is compatible with both single cell suspensions of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and spheroid aggregates of breast cancer cells. After bioprinting, both cell types remain viable in incubation for up to 14 days. These results demonstrate a first step toward combining ELP engineered hydrogels with 3D bioprinting technologies and on-chip platforms comprising vascular-like channels for establishing functional tissue models

Covalent functionalization of decellularized tissues accelerates endothelialization

[EN] In the field of tissue regeneration, the lack of a stable endothelial lining may affect the hemocompatibility of both synthetic and biological replacements. These drawbacks might be prevented by specific biomaterial functionalization to induce selective endothelial cell (EC) adhesion. Decellularized bovine pericardia and porcine aortas were selectively functionalized with a REDV tetrapeptide at 10(-5) M and 10(-6) M working concentrations. The scaffold-bound peptide was quantified and REDV potential EC adhesion enhancement was evaluated in vitro by static seeding of human umbilical vein ECs. The viable cells and MTS production were statistically higher in functionalized tissues than in control. Scaffold histoarchitecture, geometrical features, and mechanical properties were unaffected by peptide anchoring. The selective immobilization of REDV was effective in accelerating ECs adhesion while promoting proliferation in functionalized decellularized tissues intended for blood-contacting applications.JLGR acknowledges financial support from the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI) through the PID2019-106099RB-C41/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 project. CIBER-BBN is an initiative funded by the VI National R&D&I Plan 2008-2011, Iniciativa Ingenio 2010, Consolider Program. CIBER Actions are financed by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III with assistance from the European Regional Development Fund.Dal Sasso, E.; Zamuner, A.; Filippi, A.; Romanato, F.; Palmosi, T.; Vedovelli, L.; Gregori, D.... (2021). Covalent functionalization of decellularized tissues accelerates endothelialization. Bioactive materials. 6(11):3851-3864. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioactmat.2021.04.003S3851386461

Design and Characterization of Artificial Extracellular Matrix Proteins for Use as Small-Diameter Vascular Grafts

Synthetic small-diameter vascular grafts often fail within three years of implantation. The underlying causes of graft failure are thought to be i) a mismatch in the mechanical properties between the graft and host material and ii) an inability of the graft to support the adhesion of endothelial cells. To address these two issues, artificial extracellular matrix (aECM) proteins contain elastin-like regions to provide physical integrity and cell-binding domains derived from fibronectin to promote endothelial cell attachment. Using recombinant protein technology, a family of artificial proteins was created with differing ratios of elastin-like regions to cell-binding domains, with variable placement of amino acid crosslinking residues, and with differing identity of cell-binding domain. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) adhere in a sequence-specific manner to aECM proteins, secrete basal levels of key fibrinolytic regulators, and are capable of resisting a physiologically relevant detachment force. HUVEC spread more quickly and adhere more firmly to aECM proteins that contain the RGD versus the CS5 cell-binding domain. Decreasing the density of RGD cell-binding domains results in decreased HUVEC adhesion. Furthermore, amino acid selection even at sites up to 16 residues away from the cell-binding domain impacts HUVEC spreading and adhesion. HUVEC also adhere more strongly to stiffer aECM films. Therefore, the identity, density, and context of the cell-binding domain as well as the elastic modulus of the substrate are all important variables in influencing cell-substrate interactions. Proper amino acid sequence choice also influences the susceptibility of aECM proteins to elastase proteolysis; modifying 3% of the amino acid side chains results in a 7-fold reduction in degradation rate. An alternative strategy to decrease degradation involves incorporation of the noncanonical amino acid, 5,5,5-trifluoroisoleucine, into the favored proteolytic cut site, isoleucine. Replacing 82% of the isoleucines results in a twofold reduction in degradation rate without compromising sequence-specific HUVEC adhesion. Incorporation of another noncanonical amino acid, para-azidophenylalanine, allows synthesis of photoreactive proteins that can be patterned using photolithography. These protein patterns retain their ability to adhere HUVEC and produce stable cell patterns after 48 hours in medium supplemented with serum.</p

Matrix interactions modulate neurotrophin-mediated neurite outgrowth and pathfinding

Both matrix biochemistry and neurotrophic factors are known to modulate neurite outgrowth and pathfinding however, the interplay between these two factors is less studied. While previous work has shown that the biochemical identity of the matrix can alter the outgrowth of neurites in response to neurotrophins, the importance of the concentration of cell-adhesive ligands is unknown. Using engineered elastin-like protein matrices, we recently demonstrated a synergistic effect between matrix-bound cell-adhesive ligand density and soluble nerve growth factor treatment on neurite outgrowth from dorsal root ganglia. This synergism was mediated by Schwann cell-neurite contact through L1CAM. Cell-adhesive ligand density was also shown to alter the pathfinding behavior of dorsal root ganglion neurites in response to a gradient of nerve growth factor. While more cell-adhesive matrices promoted neurite outgrowth, less cell-adhesive matrices promoted more faithful neurite pathfinding. These studies emphasize the importance of considering both matrix biochemistry and neurotrophic factors when designing biomaterials for peripheral nerve regeneration