Using Mixed Self-Assembled Monolayers Presenting RGD and (EG)3OH Groups To Characterize Long-Term Attachment of Bovine Capillary Endothelial Cells to Surfaces

TLDR: Surfaces that promote the ligand-directed binding of cells and resist the cellular deposition of adhesive proteins are described, based on self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiolates on gold that present mixtures of arginine-glycine-aspartate, a tripeptide that promotes cell adhesion by binding to cell surface integrin receptors.

Abstract: This paper describes surfaces that promote the ligand-directed binding of cells and resist the cellular deposition of adhesive proteins. These surfaces are based on self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkanethiolates on gold that present mixtures of arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD), a tripeptide that promotes cell adhesion by binding to cell surface integrin receptors, and oligo(ethyleneglycol) moieties, groups that resist nonbiospecific adsorption of proteins and cells. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy was used to measure the adsorption of carbonic anhydrase and fibrinogen to mixed SAMs comprising RGD groups ((EG)6OGRGD) and tri(ethylene glycol) groups ((EG)3OH); SAMs having values of the mole fraction of RGD (χRGD) ≤ 0.05 adsorbed nearly undetectable levels of carbonic anhydrase or fibrinogen. Bovine capillary endothelial cells attached and spread on SAMs at χRGD ≥ 0.00001, with spreading of cells reaching a maximum at χRGD ≥ 0.001. These mixed SAMs reduced the deposition of proteins by atta...