title: Designing unconventional Fmoc-peptide-based biomaterials: structure and related properties.
abstract: We have recently employed L-amino acids in the lipase-catalyzed biofabrication of a class of self-assembling Fmoc-peptides that form 3-dimensional nanofiber scaffolds. Here we report that using d-amino acids, the homochiral self-assembling peptide Fmoc-D-Phe3 (Fmoc-F*F*F*) also forms a 3-dimensional nanofiber scaffold that is substantially distinguishable from its L-peptide and heterochiral peptide (F*FF and FF*F*) counterparts on the basis of their physico-chemical properties. Such chiral peptides self-assemble into ordered nanofibers with well defined fibrillar motifs. Circular dichroism and atomic force microscopy have been employed to study in depth such fibrillar peptide structures. Dexamethasone release kinetics from PLGA and CS-PLGA nanoparticles entrapped within the peptidic hydrogel matrix encourage its use for applications in drug controlled release.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy. cleofe.palocci@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chronopoulou
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sennato
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bordi
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giannella
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Nitto
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barbetta
authors.forename: Mariella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dentini
authors.forename: Anna Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Togna
authors.forename: Giuseppina Ines
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Togna
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moschini
authors.forename: Cleofe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Palocci
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D007700:Kinetics; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008958:Models, Molecular; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D010455:Peptides; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate