title: Slow-release RGD-peptide hydrogel monoliths.
abstract: We report on the formation of hydrogel monoliths formed by functionalized peptide Fmoc-RGD (Fmoc: fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl) containing the RGD cell adhesion tripeptide motif. The monolith is stable in water for nearly 40 days. The gel monoliths present a rigid porous structure consisting of a network of peptide fibers. The RGD-decorated peptide fibers have a β-sheet secondary structure. We prove that Fmoc-RGD monoliths can be used to release and encapsulate material, including model hydrophilic dyes and drug compounds. We provide the first insight into the correlation between the absorption and release kinetics of this new material and show that both processes take place over similar time scales.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, Food Science and Pharmacy, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, UK. v.castelletto@reading.ac.uk
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Castelletto
authors.forename: Ian W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Hamley
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stain
authors.forename: Che
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Connon
mesh_terms: D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004058:Diffusion; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000737:chemistry; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007700:Kinetics; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: C496789:9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D005449:Fluorenes; D020100:Hydrogels; D009842:Oligopeptides; D014867:Water; C047981:arginyl-glycyl-aspartic acid