Merging Modular Molecular Design with High Throughput Screening of Cell Adhesion on Antimicrobial Supramolecular Biomaterials

Macromol Rapid Commun. 2024 Mar 26:e2300638. doi: 10.1002/marc.202300638. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

A polymer microarray based on the supramolecular ureido-pyrimidinone (UPy) moiety is fabricated to screen antimicrobial materials for their ability to support cell adhesion. UPy-functionalized additives, either cell-adhesive, antimicrobial or control peptides, are used, and investigated in different combinations at different concentrations, resulting in a library of 194 spots. These are characterized on composition and morphology to evaluate the microarray fabrication. Normal human dermal fibroblasts are cultured on the microarrays and cell adhesion to the spots is systematically analyzed. Results demonstrate enhanced cell adhesion on spots with combinations including the antimicrobial peptides. This study clearly proves the power of the high throughput approach in combination with supramolecular molecules, to screen additive libraries for desired biological response.

Keywords: antimicrobial; array; biomaterials; high throughput; screening; supramolecular; upy.