Synthesis and Characterization of Elastin Mimetic Hybrid Polymers with Alternating Molecular Architecture and Elastomeric Properties

Published

September 15, 2009

Author(s)

Sheng Lin-Gibson, Sarah E. Grieshaber, Alexandra J. Farran, Kristi L. Kiick, Xinqiao Jia

Abstract

We are interested in developing elastin mimetic hybrid polymers (EMHPs) that capture the multiblock molecular architecture of tropoelastin as well as the remarkable elasticity of mature elastin. In this study, multiblock EMHPs containing flexible synthetic segments based on poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) alternating with alanine-rich, lysine-containing peptides were synthesized by step growth polymerization using , -azido PEG and alkyne-terminated KA3K peptide, employing orthogonal click chemistry. The resulting EMHPs contain an estimated three to five repeats of PEG and KA3K, and have an average molecular weight of 34 KDa. While the peptide alone exhibited -helical structures at high pH, the fractional helicity for EMHPs was reduced. Covalent cross-linking of EMHPs with hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI) through the lysine residue in the peptide domain afforded an elastomeric hydrogel (xEMHP) with a compressive modulus of 0.12 MPa when hydrated. The mechanical properties of xEMHP are comparable to a commercial polyurethane elastomer (TecoflexTM SG80A) under the same conditions. In vitro toxicity studies showed that the cross-linked hybrid elastomers did not leach out any toxic reagents and allowed primary porcine vocal fold fibroblasts (PVFFs) to grow and proliferate properly. These novel hybrid materials are promising candidates as conducive scaffolds for tissue engineering.

Citation

Journal of the American Chemical Society

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

Local Download

Keywords

Elastin, Poly(ethylene glycol), Peptide, Click Chemistry, Step Growth Polymerization, Multiblock Copolymer, Modulus, Entropic, Toxicity, Tissue Engineering

Citation

Lin-Gibson, S. , Grieshaber, S. , Farran, A. , Kiick, K. and Jia, X. (2009), Synthesis and Characterization of Elastin Mimetic Hybrid Polymers with Alternating Molecular Architecture and Elastomeric Properties, Journal of the American Chemical Society, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=900994 (Accessed April 24, 2024)