title: Enhanced effects of lithocholic acid incorporation into liquid-crystalline biopolymer poly(coumaric acid) on structural ordering and cell adhesion.
abstract: A novel thermotropic liquid-crystalline biocopolymer, poly{trans-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (4HCA: trans-coumaric acid)-co-lithocholic acid (LCA)}, was synthesized by a thermal polycondensation of 4HCA and LCA. When the LCA composition of P(4HCA-co-LCA) was 0, 5, 7, 23, 27, and 45 mol%, the copolymers showed a nematic liquid-crystalline phase. The melting point of the copolymers was 120-250 degrees C depending on the LCA composition, and showed a maximum at 7 mol%. Wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) analyses showed a typical diffraction pattern of a hexagonal arrangement for 0, 7, 23, and 27 mol% LCA composition, which were cooled from a nematic melt. The other polymers showed no distinct diffraction. In particular, the copolymer of 7 mol% LCA composition showed four distinct diffractions corresponding to spacings with a reciprocal ratio of 1, radical3, 2, and radical7, indicating the highest structural ordering of all copolymers prepared here. The results of the cell adhesion and static contact angle tests suggest that the 7 mol% LCA composition copolymer had the highest hydrophobicity and cell adhesion ability, which was easily controlled by altering in feed. We conclude that the structural ordering may have a significant correlation with cell adhesion activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Michiya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsusaki
authors.forename: Tran
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hang Thi
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Mitsuru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002460:Cell Line; D003373:Coumaric Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008095:Lithocholic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D008968:Molecular Conformation
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003373:Coumaric Acids; D008095:Lithocholic Acid