title: Ligand engagement on material surfaces is discriminated by cell mechanosensoring.
abstract: Peptide or protein ligands can be used for molecular decoration to enhance the functionality of synthetic materials. However, some skepticism has arisen about the efficacy of such strategy in practical contexts since serum proteins largely adsorb. To address this issue, it is crucial to ascertain whether a chemically conjugated integrin-binding peptide is fully recognized by a cell even if partially covered by a physisorbed layer of serum protein; in more general terms, if competitive protein fragments physisorbed onto the surface are distinguishable from those chemically anchored to it. Here, we engraft an RGD peptide on poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) surfaces and follow the dynamics of focal adhesion (FA) and cytoskeleton assembly at different times and culture conditions using a variety of analytical tools. Although the presence of serum protein covers the bioconjugated RGD significantly, after the first adhesion phase cells dig into the physisorbed layer and reach the submerged signal to establish a more stable adhesion structure (mature FAs). Although the spreading area index is not substantially affected by the presence of the RGD peptide, cells attached to chemically bound signals develop a stronger adhesive interaction with the materials and assemble a mechanically stable cytoskeleton. This demonstrates that cells are able to discriminate, via mechanosensoring, between adhesive motives belonging to physisorbed proteins and those firmly anchored on the material surface.
authors: Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy.
authors: Edmondo
authors: E
authors: Battista
authors: Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy; Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB), University ''Federico II'', Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy; Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale (DICMAPI), University ''Federico II'', Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy.
authors: Filippo
authors: F
authors: Causa
authors: Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy; Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB), University ''Federico II'', Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy.
authors: Vincenzo
authors: V
authors: Lettera
authors: Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy.
authors: Valeria
authors: V
authors: Panzetta
authors: Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy.
authors: Daniela
authors: D
authors: Guarnieri
authors: Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy.
authors: Sabato
authors: S
authors: Fusco
authors: Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Gentile
authors: Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy; Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB), University ''Federico II'', Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy; Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale (DICMAPI), University ''Federico II'', Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy. Electronic address: nettipa@unina.it.
authors: Paolo A
authors: PA
authors: Netti
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004548:Elasticity; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D022001:Focal Adhesions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008024:Ligands; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D011091:Polyesters / Q000494:pharmacology; D013499:Surface Properties; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001798:Blood Proteins; D008024:Ligands; D009842:Oligopeptides; D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone; C047981:arginyl-glycyl-aspartic acid
keywords: Focal adhesion; Material-cytoskeleton crosstalk; Peptide adhesion molecule; Polyesters; Protein adsorption; Surfaces bioconjugation