Peptide sequence effects on nanofiber formation, hydration and in-gel protein mobility/activity

自组装肽水凝胶，由纳米尺度的纳米纤维组成，被认为是各种纳米医学应用的强大平台：促进轴突再生，维持三维细胞环境，传递活性蛋白质和小分子。初步研究表明，对这些物质缺乏免疫反应或启动凝血级联反应，其机制尚不清楚。这些特性，加上精确控制肽序列的能力，从而结合细胞和分子靶向能力，使得自组装肽水凝胶在纳米医学应用中非常有吸引力。然而，很明显肽水凝胶与复杂生物环境的相互作用还有待详细研究。通过了解肽组成对凝胶性质以及蛋白质相互作用的影响，可能有可能开发出用于多种技术的这些材料：酶控制的药物递送，促进伤口愈合的组织工程支架，高表面积生物传感器，心血管移植等。

Self-assembling peptide hydrogels, composed of nanofibers with nanoscale dimensions, are becoming recognized as a robust platform for a variety of nanomedicine applications: facilitating axon regeneration, sustaining 3D cellular environment, delivering active proteins and small molecules. Preliminary studies indicate a lack of immune response or initiation of the coagulation cascade to these materials: the mechanisms of which remain unknown. These properties, plus the ability to precisely control the peptide sequence, and thereby incorporate cellular and molecular targeting capabilities, makes self-assembled peptide hydrogels very attractive for nanomedicine applications. However, it remains apparent that the peptide hydrogel interaction with a complex biological milieu has yet to be studied in detail. Through understanding the effects of the peptide composition on gel properties as well as protein interactions, it may be possible to develop these materials for multiple technologies: enzymatically controlled drug delivery, tissue engineering scaffolds to enhance wound healing, high surface area biosensors, cardiovascular grafts, etc.