Dual Responsive Surfaces Based on Host–Guest Interaction for Dynamic Mediation of Cell–Substrate Interaction and Cell Migration

Abstract

A dual responsive surface is constructed on hydrophilic polymer brushes to modulate cell migration ability on demand. The responsibility is based on the dynamic host–guest interaction between β‐CD and azobenzene. Both competitive guest molecules and UV radiation are able to release azobenzene‐REDV from the substrate, weakening the cell–substrate interaction and modulating the cell migration rate.

Selective Adhesion and Directional Migration of Endothelial Cells Guided by Cys‐Ala‐Gly Peptide Density Gradient on Antifouling Polymer Brushes

“…Due to the hydrophobic nature of BES, significant increase of the static water contact angle from < 5° to 77.4 ± 0.7° was observed after the treatment. The thickness increase after the salinization process was measured to be ≈3 nm, which also revealed the success of initiator immobilization …”

Dynamic substrates for cell biology

“…[35•] With the azobenzenes, the group can either be used as a linker terminated in RGD[36] or as a terminal group itself for host-guest interactions with functionalized cyclodextrins. [37–40] In the former case, Selhuber-Unkel and co-workers altered the photophysical properties of the azobenzene via “push-pull” substitution with an electron-withdrawing and electron-donating group. [41•] The generated species displayed a rapid cis - trans back-reaction (10 2 –10 5 Hz) that enabled studies of integrin-mediated cellular responses to oscillatory “tickling” forces at previously inaccessible time scales, though the incomplete photoisomerization of the azobenzene chromophore is a limitation.…”

Cell-instructive biointerfaces with dynamic complexity

“…The ability to modulate ligand presentation both spatially and temporally, using a redox stimulus on these supramolecular surfaces holds great importance for generation of new biomaterial interfaces by allowing control over biological events at (sub)cellular level. [88] Copyright 2016, John Wiley and Sons.…”

“…an external stimuli to change the binding affinity of light-responsive azobenzene as guest molecule of β-CD ( Figure 1.16D). [88] In order to probe dynamic control of cell adhesion and migration, cells were first allowed to spread on azobenzene-modified Arg-Glu-Asp-Val (REDV) ligands on surfaces for 4h where they showed robust actin stress fiber formation with well-defined focal adhesions (Figure 1.16E). Addition of competing amantadine to the cell culture medium resulted, as expected, in a decrease in cell area and focal adhesion formation as well as increased cell migration speed.…”

“…These results reveal a switch in cell behavior and further shows the versatility of the approach, which enables the use of multiple triggers simultaneously (Figure 1.16E). [88] Dynamic systems have also been realized for static ligands where chemical modification of the specific ligand or modification of the groups surrounding the ligands can introduce stimuli-responsiveness, and hence dynamics to the system. [2b] For example, lightresponsive azobenzene-modified RGD ligands were covalently immobilized to SAMs; and trans-to-cis conformational changes of azobenzene molecules in the molecular backbone of RGD ligands reduced the availability of RGD ligands to integrin binding and thereby prevented cell adhesion in a potentially reversible manner.…”