Secondary structure of rhBMP-2 in a protective biopolymeric carrier material

Efficient delivery of growth factors is one of the great challenges of tissue engineering. Polyelectrolyte multilayer films (PEM) made of biopolymers have recently emerged as an interesting carrier for delivering recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (rhBMP-2 noted here BMP-2) to cells in a matrix-bound manner. We recently showed that PEM made of poly(l-lysine) and hyaluronan (PLL/HA) can retain high and tunable quantities of BMP-2 and can deliver it to cells to induce their differentiation in osteoblasts. Here, we investigate quantitatively by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) the secondary structure of BMP-2 in solution as well as trapped in a biopolymeric thin film. We reveal that the major structural elements of BMP-2 in solution are intramolecular β-sheets and unordered structures as well as α-helices. Furthermore, we studied the secondary structure of rhBMP-2 trapped in hydrated films and in dry films since drying is an important step for future applications of these bioactive films onto orthopedic biomaterials. We demonstrate that the structural elements were preserved when BMP-2 was trapped in the biopolymeric film in hydrated conditions and, to a lesser extent, in dry state. Importantly, its bioactivity was maintained after drying of the film. Our results appear highly promising for future applications of these films as coatings of biomedical materials, to deliver bioactive proteins while preserving their bioactivity upon storage in dry state.This work was supported by the French Ministry of Research through an ANR-EmergenceBIO grant (ANR-09-EBIO-012-01), by the European Commission (FP7 program) via a European Research Council starting grant (BIOMIM, GA 259370), and by GRAVIT (081012_FIBIOS). C.P. is grafetul to IUF for financial support

Free-standing polyelectrolyte membranes made of chitosan and alginate

Free-standing films have increasing applications in the biomedical field as drug delivery systems for wound healing and tissue engineering. Here, we prepared free-standing membranes by the layer-by-layer assembly of chitosan and alginate, two widely used biomaterials. Our aim was to produce a thick membrane and to study the permeation of model drugs and the adhesion of muscle cells. We first defined the optimal growth conditions in terms of pH and alginate concentration. The membranes could be easily detached from polystyrene or polypropylene substrate without any postprocessing step. The dry thickness was varied over a large range from 4 to 35 μm. A 2-fold swelling was observed by confocal microscopy when they were immersed in PBS. In addition, we quantified the permeation of model drugs (fluorescent dextrans) through the free-standing membrane, which depended on the dextran molecular weight. Finally, we showed that myoblast cells exhibited a preferential adhesion on the alginate-ending membrane as compared to the chitosan-ending membrane or to the substrate side.This work was financially supported by Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the Scholarship SFRH/BD/64601/2009 granted to S.G.C. C.M. is indebted to Grenoble INP for financial support via a postdoctoral fellowship. This work was supported by the European Commission (FP7 Program) via a European Research Council starting grant (BIOMIM, GA 259370 to C.P.). C.P. is also grateful to Institut Universitaire de France and to Grenoble Institute of Technology for financial support. We thank Isabelle Paintrand for her technical help with the confocal apparatus and Patrick Chaudouet for his help with SEM imaging

Matrix-bound delivery of BMP-2 from a biomimetic film : protein structure, long-term stability and cellular uptake

La surface naturelle des prothèses, tels que des implants métalliques, n'est pas idéale pour l'obtention d'une bonne ostéo-intégration. Par conséquent, l'amélioration des propriétés de surface pour les rendre ostéo-condutrices ou ostéo-inductrices est souhaitable. La délivrance contrôlée de protéines ostéo-inductrices de la famille des bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) par la surface des matériaux implantables permettrait une formation osseuse optimisée et plus rapide autour de l'implant. En particulier, la BMP-2 est importante dans la phase initiale de la différenciation vers l'os. En raison de leur similarité avec les tissus naturels, l'utilisation des revêtements de biopolymères qui ont une bonne affinité avec les molécules bioactives, semble prometteuse pour le chargement et la délivrance de BMP-2. L'équipe a déjà mis au point un film à base des biopolymères hyaluronane et de poly(L-lysine), en utilisant la technique d'assemblage couche par couche. Ce film constitue un réservoir qui permet de présenter la BMP-2 "liée à la matrice". La bioactivité in vitro et les propriétés ostéo-inductrices in vivo de ces films ont déjà prouvées. Dans ce travail, nous avons cherché à mieux comprendre l'interaction de la BMP-2 avec le film et l'interaction des cellules avec la BMP-2. Tout d'abord, nous avons étudié la structure de la BMP-2 piégée dans les films et l'avons comparé à celle en solution; puis nous avons évalué l'impact du séchage, du stockage à long terme et de la stérilisation sur la structure du film et sa bioactivité. Enfin, nous avons étudié l'internalisation de la BMP-2 par les cellules en fonction de la réticulation du film et avons étudié la relation entre internalisation et voies de signalisation.The natural surface of bulk prostheses materials, such as metallic implants, is not suitable for successful osteointegration of implants. Therefore, improving the surface to render it osteoconductive and osteoinductive is needed. The controlled delivery of osteoinductive bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) from the surface of implantable materials would enable faster and better bone formation around the implant. In particular, BMP-2 plays an important role in the early phase of differentiation of stems cells in bone cells. The coating of natural polymers that have a high affinity for BMP-2 would enable BMP retention and localized delivery at the implant surface. Using the layer-by-layer technique, we have developed a coating made of the biopolymers hyaluronan and poly(L-Lysine), which acts as a reservoir to trap BMP-2 and to present them to cells in a "matrix-bound" manner. The in vitro bioactivity and in vivo osteoinductive properties of BMP-2-loaded films have previously been proved. In this work, the aim is to further understand the interaction of the BMP-2 with the film and the uptake of BMP-2 by the cells. First, the secondary structure of matrix-bound BMP-2 was studied and compared to its structure in solution. Second, the impact of drying, long term storage and sterilization on film structure and bioactivity were assessed. Finally, we investigated if and how matrix-bound BMP-2 is internalized by the cells from the different cross-linked films, the internalization route and its relation to BMP-2 signaling

Présentation de la BMP-2 par un film biomimétrique : structure de la protéine, stabilité à long terme et internalisation cellulaire

The natural surface of bulk prostheses materials, such as metallic implants, is not suitable for successful osteointegration of implants. Therefore, improving the surface to render it osteoconductive and osteoinductive is needed. The controlled delivery of osteoinductive bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) from the surface of implantable materials would enable faster and better bone formation around the implant. In particular, BMP-2 plays an important role in the early phase of differentiation of stems cells in bone cells. The coating of natural polymers that have a high affinity for BMP-2 would enable BMP retention and localized delivery at the implant surface. Using the layer-by-layer technique, we have developed a coating made of the biopolymers hyaluronan and poly(L-Lysine), which acts as a reservoir to trap BMP-2 and to present them to cells in a "matrix-bound" manner. The in vitro bioactivity and in vivo osteoinductive properties of BMP-2-loaded films have previously been proved. In this work, the aim is to further understand the interaction of the BMP-2 with the film and the uptake of BMP-2 by the cells. First, the secondary structure of matrix-bound BMP-2 was studied and compared to its structure in solution. Second, the impact of drying, long term storage and sterilization on film structure and bioactivity were assessed. Finally, we investigated if and how matrix-bound BMP-2 is internalized by the cells from the different cross-linked films, the internalization route and its relation to BMP-2 signaling.La surface naturelle des prothèses, tels que des implants métalliques, n'est pas idéale pour l'obtention d'une bonne ostéo-intégration. Par conséquent, l'amélioration des propriétés de surface pour les rendre ostéo-condutrices ou ostéo-inductrices est souhaitable. La délivrance contrôlée de protéines ostéo-inductrices de la famille des bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) par la surface des matériaux implantables permettrait une formation osseuse optimisée et plus rapide autour de l'implant. En particulier, la BMP-2 est importante dans la phase initiale de la différenciation vers l'os. En raison de leur similarité avec les tissus naturels, l'utilisation des revêtements de biopolymères qui ont une bonne affinité avec les molécules bioactives, semble prometteuse pour le chargement et la délivrance de BMP-2. L'équipe a déjà mis au point un film à base des biopolymères hyaluronane et de poly(L-lysine), en utilisant la technique d'assemblage couche par couche. Ce film constitue un réservoir qui permet de présenter la BMP-2 "liée à la matrice". La bioactivité in vitro et les propriétés ostéo-inductrices in vivo de ces films ont déjà prouvées. Dans ce travail, nous avons cherché à mieux comprendre l'interaction de la BMP-2 avec le film et l'interaction des cellules avec la BMP-2. Tout d'abord, nous avons étudié la structure de la BMP-2 piégée dans les films et l'avons comparé à celle en solution; puis nous avons évalué l'impact du séchage, du stockage à long terme et de la stérilisation sur la structure du film et sa bioactivité. Enfin, nous avons étudié l'internalisation de la BMP-2 par les cellules en fonction de la réticulation du film et avons étudié la relation entre internalisation et voies de signalisation

Functional characterization of p7 viroporin from hepatitis C virus produced in a cell-free expression system

International audienceUsing a cell-free expression system we produced the p7 viroporin embedded into a lipid bilayer in a single-step manner. The protein quality was assessed using different methods. We examined the channel forming activity of p7 and verified its inhibition by 5-(N,N-Hexamethylene) amiloride (HMA). Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) experiments further showed that when p7 was inserted into synthetic liposomes, the protein displayed a native-like conformation similar to p7 obtained from other sources. Photoactivable amino acid analogs used for p7 protein synthesis enabled oligomerization state analysis in liposomes by cross-linking. Therefore, these findings emphasize the quality of the cell-free produced p7 proteoliposomes which can benefit the field of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) protein production and characterization and also provide tools for the development of new inhibitors to reinforce our therapeutic arsenal against HCV. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Matrix-Bound Presentation of Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 by Multilayer Films: Fundamental Studies and Applicationsto Orthopedics

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Signal mingle: Micropatterns of BMP-2 and fibronectin on soft biopolymeric films regulate myoblast spreading and SMAD signaling.

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Signal mingle: Micropatterns of BMP-2 and fibronectin on soft biopolymeric films regulate myoblast spreading and SMAD signaling.

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Signal mingle: Micropatterns of BMP-2 and fibronectin on soft biopolymeric films regulate myoblast shape and SMAD signaling

International audienceIn vivo, bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) exists both in solution and bound to the extracellular matrix (ECM). While these two modes of presentation are known to influence cell behavior distinctly, their role in the niche microenvironment and their functional relevance in the genesis of a biological response has sparsely been investigated at a cellular level. Here we used the natural affinity of BMP-2 for fibronectin (FN) to engineer cell-sized micropatterns of BMP-2. This technique allowed the simultaneous control of the spatial presentation of fibronectin-bound BMP-2 and cell spreading. These micropatterns induced a specific actin and adhesion organization around the nucleus, and triggered the phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of SMAD1/5/8 in C2C12 myoblasts and mesenchymal stem cells, an early indicator of their osteoblastic trans-differentiation. We found that cell spreading itself potentiated a BMP-2-dependent phosphorylation of SMAD1/5/8. Finally, we demonstrated that FN/BMP-2-mediated early SMAD signaling depended on LIM kinase 2 and ROCK, rather than myosin II activation. Altogether, our results show that FN/BMP-2 micropatterns are a useful tool to study the mechanisms underlying BMP-2-mediated mechanotransduction. More broadly, our approach could be adapted to other combinations of ECM proteins and growth factors, opening an exciting avenue to recreate tissue-specific niches in vitro. Due to their physiological relevance, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are widely studied for orthopedic clinical applications to enhance the healing of large bone defects 1,2 , as well as for developing new strategies in bone tissue engineering 3-5. BMPs are indeed highly potent growth factors (GFs) that play a crucial role in mor-phogenesis and tissue homeostasis during embryonic development and until adulthood 6,7. In particular, BMP-2 promotes the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and osteoblasts toward osteocytes 8,9 , and induces the trans-differentiation of myoblasts into osteoblasts 10. In addition, BMP-2 in solution plays a role in early adhesive events, including adhesion and migration through cytoskeletal reorganization 11,12. Recently, several studies have demonstrated that BMP-2 strongly interacts with extra-cellular matrix (ECM) proteins 13 , especially fibronectin (FN) due to its highly promiscuous GF-binding site (the 12th to 14th type III repeats) 14,15. Moreover, immobilized BMP-2 whether by physical adsorption (i.e. matrix-bound BMP-2 13,16) or by covalent grafting 17 was shown to regulate cell behavior quite distinctly from BMP-2 in solution. This effect is currently poorly known and is likely due to the close proximity and crosstalk of integrin-binding domains of FN and BMP-2 13,17-19. It has indeed been shown that the secretion of FN by cells is necessary for BMP-2-mediated signaling 13. A consequence of this association of BMP-2 with ECM proteins in vivo is that the spatially patterned presentation of BMPs b

The stability of BMP loaded polyelectrolyte multilayer coatings on titanium

International audienceImmobilization of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) onto material surfaces is a promising, but still challenging, strategy for achieving dependable and consistent osseointegration of long-term metal implants. In the present study, we have developed an osteoinductive coating of a porous titanium implant using biomimetic polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) films loaded with BMP-2. The amount of BMP-2 loaded in these films was tuned over a large range depending on the cross-linking extent of the film and of the BMP-2 initial concentration. The air-dried PEM films were stable for at least one year of storage at 4 degrees C. In addition, they resisted exposure to gamma-irradiation at clinically approved doses. The preservation of the growth factor bioactivity upon long-term storage and sterilization were evaluated both in vitro (using C2C12 cells) and in vivo (in a rat ectopic model) for the perspective of industrial and clinical development. BMP-2 loaded in dried PEM films exhibited shelf-life stability over one year. However, their bioactivity in vitro decreased from 50 to 80% after irradiation depending on the gamma-irradiation dose. Remarkably, the in vivo studies showed that the osteoinductive potential of BMP-2 contained in PEM-coated Ti implants was fully preserved after air-drying of the implants and sterilization at 25 kGy. Film drying or irradiation did not affect the amount of new bone tissue formation. This "off-the-shelf" novel technology of functionalized implants opens promising applications in prosthetic and tissue engineering fields. 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved