Preparation of PHEMA Copolymers Containing Cell-binding Peptides as Graft Chains and Their Cell Adhesive Properties

Abstract

In this study, poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) copolymers containing cell-binding peptides (Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGDS), Pro-His-Ser-Arg-Asn (PHSRN) or PHSRNG6RGDS) as graft chains were newly designed and prepared by radical copolymerization of HEMA with various peptide-macromonomers, which were prepared by solid phase synthesis using Fmoc-chemistry. Thin films of these copolymers were prepared on PSt-dishes by spin-coat method and their interaction with NIH/3T3 cells were investigated. Cell adhesive properties onto these copolymer films were found to depend strongly on the type of peptides and copolymer composition. More interestingly, PHSRNG6RGDS segment, at which PHSRN and RGDS epitopes were connected through Gly spacer, showed most effective cell adhesion and spreading properties in the series of PHEMA copolymers. These results should provide useful information to construct novel peptide-based nano-surfaces for the design of artificial extra cellular matrix.