Zdeněk Plichta

Albumin‐coated monodisperse magnetic poly(glycidyl methacrylate) microspheres with immobilized antibodies: Application to the capture of epithelial cancer cells

Monodisperse (4 μm) macroporous crosslinked poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) microspheres for use in microfluidic immunomagnetic cell sorting, with a specific application to the capture of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), were prepared by multistep swelling polymerization in the presence of cyclohexyl acetate porogen and hydrolyzed and ammonolyzed. Iron oxide was then precipitated in the microspheres to render them magnetic. Repeated precipitation made possible to raise the iron oxide content to more than 30 wt %. To minimize nonspecific adsorption of the microspheres in a microchannel and of cells on the microspheres, they were coated with albumin crosslinked with glutaraldehyde. Antibodies of epithelial cell adhesion molecule (anti-EpCAM) were then immobilized on the albumin-coated magnetic microspheres using the carbodiimide method. Capture of breast cancer MCF7 cells as a model of CTCs by the microspheres with immobilized anti-EpCAM IgG was performed in a batch experiment. Finally, MCF7 cells were captured by the anti-EpCAM-immobilized albumin-coated magnetic microspheres in an Ephesia chip. A very good rejection of lymphocytes was achieved. Thus, albumin-coated monodisperse magnetic PGMA microspheres with immobilized anti-EpCAM seem to be promising for capture of CTCs in a microfluidic device.

SIKVAV‐modified highly superporous PHEMA scaffolds with oriented pores for spinal cord injury repair

The architecture and mechanical properties of a scaffold for spinal cord injury treatment must provide tissue integration as well as effective axonal regeneration. Previous work has demonstrated the cell‐adhesive and growth‐promoting properties of the SIKVAV (Ser–Ile–Lys–Val–Ala–Val)‐modified highly superporous poly(2‐hydroxethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) hydrogels. The aim of the current study was to optimize the porosity and mechanical properties of this type of hydrogel in order to develop a suitable scaffold for the repair of spinal cord tissue. Three types of highly superporous PHEMA hydrogels with oriented pores of ~60 µm diameter, porosities of 57–68% and equivalent stiffness characterized by elasticity moduli in the range 3–45 kPa were implanted into a spinal cord hemisection, and their integration into the host tissue, as well as the extent of axonal ingrowth into the scaffold pores, were histologically evaluated. The best tissue response was found with a SIKVAV‐modified PHEMA hydrogel with 68% porosity and a moderate modulus of elasticity (27 kPa in the direction along the pores and 3.6 kPa in the perpendicular direction). When implanted into a spinal cord transection, the hydrogel promoted tissue bridging as well as aligned axonal ingrowth. In conclusion, a prospective oriented scaffold architecture of SIKVAV‐modified PHEMA hydrogels has been developed for spinal cord injury repair; however, to develop an effective treatment for spinal cord injury, multiple therapeutic approaches are needed. Copyright

Alzheimer′s disease biomarkers detection in human samples by efficient capturing through porous magnetic microspheres and labelling with electrocatalytic gold nanoparticles

A nanobiosensor based on the use of porous magnetic microspheres (PMM) as efficient capturing/pre-concentrating platform is presented for detection of Alzheimers disease (AD) biomarkers. These PMMs prepared by a multistep swelling polymerization combined with iron oxide precipitation afford carboxyl functional groups suitable for immobilization of antibodies on the particle surface allowing an enhanced efficiency in the capturing of AD biomarkers from human serum samples. The AD biomarkers signaling is produced by gold nanoparticle (AuNP) tags monitored through their electrocatalytic effect towards hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Novel properties of PMMs in terms of high functionality and high active area available for enhanced catalytic activity of the captured AuNPs electrocatalytic tags are exploited for the first time. A thorough characterization by scanning transmission electron microscope in high angle annular dark field mode (STEM-HAADF) demonstrates the enhanced ability of PMMs to capture a higher quantity of analyte and consequently of electrocatalytic label, when compared with commercially available microspheres. The optimized and characterized PMMs are also applied for the first time for the detection of beta amyloid and ApoE at clinical relevant levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), serum and plasma samples of patients suffering from AD.

Highly superporous cholesterol-modified poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) scaffolds for spinal cord injury repair†

Modifications of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) with cholesterol and the introduction of large pores have been developed to create highly superporous hydrogels that promote cell-surface interactions and that can serve as a permissive scaffold for spinal cord injury (SCI) treatment. Highly superporous cholesterol-modified PHEMA scaffolds have been prepared by the bulk radical copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), cholesterol methacrylate (CHLMA), and ethylene dimethacrylate (EDMA) cross-linking agent in the presence of ammonium oxalate crystals to establish interconnected pores in the scaffold. Moreover, 2-[(methoxycarbonyl)methoxy]ethyl methacrylate (MCMEMA) was incorporated in the polymerization recipe and hydrolyzed, thus introducing carboxyl groups in the hydrogel to control its swelling and softness. The hydrogels supported the in vitro adhesion and proliferation of rat mesenchymal stem cells. In an in vivo study of acute rat SCI, hydrogels were implanted to bridge a hemisection cavity. Histological evaluation was done 4 weeks after implantation and revealed the good incorporation of the implanted hydrogels into the surrounding tissue, the progressive infiltration of connective tissue and the ingrowth of neurofilaments, Schwann cells, and blood vessels into the hydrogel pores. The results show that highly superporous cholesterol-modified PHEMA hydrogels have bioadhesive properties and are able to bridge a spinal cord lesion.

Use of magnetic hydrazide-modified polymer microspheres for enrichment of Francisella tularensis glycoproteins

The field of microbial proteomics has currently experienced a boom in the discovery of glycosylated proteins of various pathogenic bacteria as potential mediators of host-pathogen interactions. The presence of glycoproteins has recently been discovered in a Gram-negative pathogenic bacterium Francisella tularensis, utilizing glycoprotein detection and isolation techniques in combination with mass spectrometry. The isolation of glycoproteins is a prerequisite for their subsequent mass-spectrometric identification. Current glycoprotein isolation/enrichment methods comprise lectin affinity chromatography, aminophenylboronic acid and hydrazide-based enrichment. The use of magnetic microspheres containing functional groups is nowadays among state-of-art separation methodologies owing to an ease of manipulation, a speed of separation, and a minimum of non-specific protein adsorption. In the present study, novel magnetic hydrazide-modified poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) microspheres were developed using a multi-step swelling and polymerization method with subsequent precipitation of magnetic iron oxides within the pores of the particles. The microspheres had a regular shape, size of 4 μm and contained 0.18 mmol hydrazide groups per g; the magnetic microspheres were employed for specific enrichment of Francisella tularensis glycoproteins. Effectiveness of the newly prepared magnetic microspheres for glycoprotein enrichment was proved by comparison with commercial hydrazide-functionalized microparticles.

Magnetic poly(glycidyl methacrylate) microspheres for protein capture

The efficient isolation and concentration of protein antigens from complex biological samples is a critical step in several analytical methods, such as mass spectrometry, flow cytometry and immunochemistry. These techniques take advantage of magnetic microspheres as immunosorbents. The focus of this study was on the development of new superparamagnetic polymer microspheres for the specific isolation of the tumor suppressor protein p53. Monodisperse macroporous poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) microspheres measuring approximately 5 μm and containing carboxyl groups were prepared by multistep swelling polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), 2-[(methoxycarbonyl)methoxy]ethyl methacrylate (MCMEMA) and ethylene dimethylacrylate (EDMA) as a crosslinker in the presence of cyclohexyl acetate as a porogen. To render the microspheres magnetic, iron oxide was precipitated within their pores; the Fe content in the particles received ∼18 wt%. Nonspecific interactions between the magnetic particles and biological media were minimized by coating the microspheres with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) terminated by carboxyl groups. The carboxyl groups of the magnetic PGMA microspheres were conjugated with primary amino groups of mouse monoclonal DO-1 antibody using conventional carbodiimide chemistry. The efficiency of protein p53 capture and the degree of nonspecific adsorption on neat and PEG-coated magnetic microspheres were determined by western blot analysis.

Immunocapture of CD133-positive cells from human cancer cell lines by using monodisperse magnetic poly(glycidyl methacrylate) microspheres containing amino groups.

Magnetic poly(glycidyl methacrylate)-based macroporous microspheres with an average particle size of 4.2μm were prepared using a modified multi-step swelling polymerization method and by introducing amino functionality on their surfaces. Antibody molecules were oxidized on their carbohydrate moieties and bound to the amino-containing magnetic microspheres via a site-directed procedure. CD133-positive cells could be effectively captured from human cancer cell lines (HepG2, HCT116, MCF7, and IMR-32) by using magnetic microspheres conjugated to an anti-human CD133 antibody. After further culture, the immunocaptured CD133-expressing cells from IMR-32 proliferated and gradually detached from the magnetic microspheres. Flow-cytometric analysis confirmed the enrichment of CD133-expressing cells by using the antibody-bound magnetic microspheres. Such microspheres suitable for immunocapture are very promising for cancer diagnosis because the CD133-expressing cells in cancer cell lines have been suggested to be cancer stem cells.

Contribution to the interaction of phenolic compounds with polymeric adsorbents

Abstract By chemical transformation of methacrylate copolymers and by copolymerization of N -vinylpyrrolidone with ethylene dimethacrylate, macroporous copolymers bearing pyrrolidone functionalities were prepared. The polymer–adsorbate interactions in a series of substituted phenols were studied by the inverse liquid chromatography method. The phenols are retained on pyrrolidone derivatives and copolymers more intensively than on 2,3-dihydroxypropyl methacrylate adsorbents. It was shown that physical interactions are the main interaction with all the studied polymeric adsorbents in water and water solutions.

RGDS- and SIKVAVS-Modified Superporous Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering Applications.

Three-dimensional hydrogel supports for mesenchymal and neural stem cells (NSCs) are promising materials for tissue engineering applications such as spinal cord repair. This study involves the preparation and characterization of superporous scaffolds based on a copolymer of 2-hydroxyethyl and 2-aminoethyl methacrylate (HEMA and AEMA) crosslinked with ethylene dimethacrylate. Ammonium oxalate is chosen as a suitable porogen because it consists of needle-like crystals, allowing their parallel arrangement in the polymerization mold. The amino group of AEMA is used to immobilize RGDS and SIKVAVS peptide sequences with an N-γ-maleimidobutyryloxy succinimide ester linker. The amount of the peptide on the scaffold is determined using 125 I radiolabeled SIKVAVS. Both RGDS- and SIKVAVS-modified poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) scaffolds serve as supports for culturing human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and human fetal NSCs. The RGDS sequence is found to be better for MSC and NSC proliferation and growth than SIKVAVS.

The use of new surface-modified poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogels in tissue engineering: Treatment of the surface with fibronectin subunits versus Ac-CGGASIKVAVS-OH, cysteine, and 2-mercaptoethanol modification

Superporous poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) is successfully used as a scaffold material for tissue engineering; however, it lacks functional groups that support cell adhesion. The objective of this study was to investigate the cell-adhesive properties of biomimetic ligands, such as laminin-derived Ac-CGGASIKVAVS-OH (SIKVAV) peptide and fibronectin subunits (Fn), as well as small molecules exemplified by 2-mercaptoethanol (ME) and cysteine (Cys), immobilized on a copolymer of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with 2-aminoethyl methacrylate (AEMA) by a maleimide-thiol coupling reaction. The maleimide group was introduced to the P(HEMA-AEMA) hydrogels by the reaction of their amino groups with N-γ-maleimidobutyryl-oxysuccinimide ester (GMBS). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were used to investigate the cell adhesive properties of the modified hydrogels. A significantly larger area of cell growth as well as a higher cell density were found on Fn- and SIKVAV-modified hydrogels when compared to the ME- and Cys-modified supports or neat P(HEMA-AEMA). Moreover, Fn-modification strongly stimulated cell proliferation. The ability of MSCs to differentiate into adipocytes and osteoblasts was maintained on both Fn- and SIKVAV-modifications, but it was reduced on ME-modified hydrogels and neat P(HEMA-AEMA). The results show that the immobilization of SIKVAV and Fn-subunits onto superporous P(HEMA-AEMA) hydrogels via a GMBS coupling reaction improves cell adhesive properties. The high proliferative activity observed on Fn-modified hydrogels suggests that the immobilized Fn-subunits maintain their bioactivity and thus represent a promising tool for application in tissue engineering.