Glycosaminoglycan/collagen complexes and use thereof
View Patent ↗The present invention is intended to offer a novel material which combines cell-adhesive proteins such as collagen with GAG polymers to construct an environment similar to an extracellular matrix, capable of controlling differentiation and proliferation of cells. The present invention offers a glycosaminoglycan-functionalized polymer protein composite produced by combining a cell-adhesive protein with a glycosaminoglycan-functionalized polymer obtained by incorporating a carbohydrate chain containing a structure corresponding to at least a portion of a glycosaminoglycan backbone into a vinyl polymer main chain, as well as a cell culture substrate and a material for tissue reconstruction treatments comprising the composite.
1. A composite of a glycosaminoglycan-functionalized polymer and a cell-adhesion protein comprising a protein carrying a glycosaminoglycan-functionalized polymer obtained by incorporating a carbohydrate chain containing a structure corresponding to at least a portion of a glycosaminoglycan backbone into a hydrophobic vinyl polymer main chain.
2. A composite as recited in claim 1 , wherein said cell-adhesion protein is collagen.
3. A composite as recited in claim 1 , wherein said glycosaminoglycan-functionalized polymer is represented by the following general formula (1):
—(CWX—CYZ) n — (1),
where W denotes a carbohydrate chain; X, Y and Z denote arbitrary substituent groups including hydrogen atoms; and n denotes the number of repeating units of at least 1.
4. A composite as recited in claim 1 , wherein said carbohydrate chain is heparin/heparin sulfate; chondroitin sulfate; dermatan sulfate, or partially desulfated modifications thereof.
5. A composite as recited in claim 1 , wherein a growth factor or a cytokine is further immobilized via said glycosaminoglycan-functionalized polymer.
6. A cell culture substrate comprising a composite as recited in any one of claims 1 – 5 .
7. A material for tissue reconstruction treatments comprising a composite as recited in any one of claims 1 – 5 .