Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Science (WPI iCeMS), Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan.
Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems (IBBS), University of Stuttgart, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany.
Sci Rep. 2017 Aug 9;7(1):7660. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-07934-x.
A new class of supramolecular hydrogels, cross-linked by host-guest interactions between β-cyclodextrin (βCD) and adamantane, were designed for the dynamic regulation of cell-substrate interactions. The initial substrate elasticity can be optimized by selecting the molar fraction of host- and guest monomers for the target cells. Moreover, owing to the reversible nature of host-guest interactions, the magnitude of softening and stiffening of the substrate can be modulated by varying the concentrations of free, competing host molecules (βCD) in solutions. By changing the substrate elasticity at a desired time point, it is possible to switch the micromechanical environments of cells. We demonstrated that the Young's modulus of our "host-guest gels", 4-11 kPa, lies in an optimal range not only for static (ex situ) but also for dynamic (in situ) regulation of cell morphology and cytoskeletal ordering of myoblasts. Compared to other stimulus-responsive materials that can either change the elasticity only in one direction or rely on less biocompatible stimuli such as UV light and temperature change, our supramolecular hydrogel enables to reversibly apply mechanical cues to various cell types in vitro without interfering cell viability.
一类新型超分子水凝胶通过β-环糊精（βCD）和金刚烷之间的主客体相互作用交联，旨在动态调节细胞-底物相互作用。通过选择目标细胞的主体和客体单体的摩尔分数，可以优化初始底物弹性。此外，由于主客体相互作用的可逆性，可以通过改变溶液中游离、竞争主体分子（βCD）的浓度来调节基底软化和硬化的程度。通过在所需的时间点改变基底弹性，可以切换细胞的微机械环境。我们证明，我们的“主客体凝胶”的杨氏模量为 4-11kPa，不仅处于静态（离体）调节细胞形态和肌母细胞细胞骨架有序性的最佳范围，也处于动态（在体）调节的最佳范围。与其他只能在一个方向上改变弹性或依赖于不太相容的刺激物（如紫外线和温度变化）的响应性材料相比，我们的超分子水凝胶能够在体外可逆地向各种细胞类型施加机械刺激，而不干扰细胞活力。
