title: Polyvalent choline phosphate as a universal biomembrane adhesive.
abstract: Phospholipids in the cell membranes of all eukaryotic cells contain phosphatidyl choline (PC) as the headgroup. Here we show that hyperbranched polyglycerols (HPGs) decorated with the 'PC-inverse' choline phosphate (CP) in a polyvalent fashion can electrostatically bind to a variety of cell membranes and to PC-containing liposomes, the binding strength depending on the number density of CP groups per macromolecule. We also show that HPG-CPs can cause cells to adhere with varying affinity to other cells, and that binding can be reversed by subsequent exposure to low molecular weight HPGs carrying small numbers of PCs. Moreover, PC-rich membranes adsorb and rapidly internalize fluorescent HPG-CP but not HPG-PC molecules, which suggests that HPG-CPs could be used as drug-delivery agents. CP-decorated polymers should find broad use, for instance as tissue sealants and in the self-assembly of lipid nanostructures.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Blood Research, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z3, Canada.
authors.forename: Xifei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Zonghua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Janzen
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chafeeva
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horte
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Rajesh K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Kainthan
authors.forename: Jayachandran N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Kizhakkedathu
authors.forename: Donald E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Brooks
mesh_terms: D000269:Adhesives / Q000737:chemistry*; D000327:Adsorption; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D004903:Erythrocyte Aggregation; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005990:Glycerol / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000737:chemistry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D010767:Phosphorylcholine / Q000737:chemistry*; D010949:Plasma / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D055672:Static Electricity
chemical_list: D000269:Adhesives; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D011108:Polymers; D010767:Phosphorylcholine; C043941:polyglycerol; D005990:Glycerol