title: Elastin-like recombinamers as substrates for retinal pigment epithelial cell growth.
abstract: The aim of this study is to investigate the use of elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs) as a substrate that can maintain the growth, phenotype, and functional characteristics of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells efficiently and as a suitable carrier for the transplantation of autologous RPE cells for treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). ELR films containing a bioactive sequence, RGD (ELR-RGD), and one with no specific sequence (ELR-IK) as control, were obtained by solvent-casting onto glass and subsequent cross-linking. ARPE19 cells were seeded on sterilized ELR films as well as on the control surfaces. Cells were analysed after 4, 24, 72, and 120 h to study cell adhesion, proliferation, cell viability, morphology, and specificity by staining with Trypan blue, DAPI, Rhodamin-Phalloidin and RPE65, ZO-1 antibodies and observing under fluorescence as well as electron microscope. ARPE19 cells seeded on both ELR films and controls were 100% viable and maintained their morphology and set of characteristics at the different time points studied. Cell proliferation on ELR-RGD was significantly higher than that found on ELR-IK at all time points, although it was less than the growth rate on polystyrene. ARPE19 cells grow well on ELR-RGD maintaining their phenotype. These results should be extended to further studies with fresh human RPE cells and in vivo studies to determine whether this ELR-RGD matrix could be used as a Bruch's membrane prosthesis and carrier for transplantation of RPE cells in patients suffering with AMD.
authors: Institute of Applied Ophthalmobiology (IOBA), University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain. girish@ioba.med.uva.es
authors: Girish K
authors: GK
authors: Srivastava
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Martín
authors: Amar K
authors: AK
authors: Singh
authors: Ivan
authors: I
authors: Fernandez-Bueno
authors: Manuel J
authors: MJ
authors: Gayoso
authors: Maria T
authors: MT
authors: Garcia-Gutierrez
authors: Alessandra
authors: A
authors: Girotti
authors: Matilde
authors: M
authors: Alonso
authors: José C
authors: JC
authors: Rodríguez-Cabello
authors: José C
authors: JC
authors: Pastor
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004549:Elastin / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000628:therapy*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012038:Regeneration; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry; D019745:cis-trans-Isomerases; D000099178:Retinoid Isomerohydrolase
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004549:Elastin; D005136:Eye Proteins; D009842:Oligopeptides; D019745:cis-trans-Isomerases; D000099178:Retinoid Isomerohydrolase; C047981:arginyl-glycyl-aspartic acid