Modification of chitosan fibers with short peptides as a model of synthetic extracellular matrix

Abstract

The extracellular matrix (ECM) can be a convenient scaffold used in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and pharmacy. The synthetic cell matrix should imitate the natural extracellular matrix in both composition and architecture. The study examined fibrous chitosan modified with fragments of human collagen I (10–15 amino acids) mimicking the internal sphere of native protein. The surface of chitosan fibers was modified by physical and chemical methods to obtain polysaccharide-peptide conjugates, which may be considered analogous to the complex of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) and peptides present in the cell matrix. The surface of fibrous chitosan was enriched with fragments of human collagen I, using physicochemical properties (water absorption during electrospraying) and chemical compatibility (activity of amide and peptide groups) during synthesis. The method of modification had an effect on changing the diameter of the fibers and their topography, as assessed by means of a scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The presence of peptides on the surface of the fibers was confirmed by spectroscopic studies (FTIR-ATR and FT Raman). It has been shown that the chemical modification provided a homogeneous distribution of the peptide on the fiber, without changing its morphology as opposed to the physical modification of the fiber, which is visible on the surface in the form of peptide aggregates. The biocompatibility of the materials thus obtained was confirmed during biological studies using MG-63 osteoblast-like cells. Correct morphology observed after 3 days of culture (live-dead test) confirmed the suitability of the substrates for biomedical applications.