Biointerfacial Analysis of HEK293 Cells in Contact with Hydrogels based on Poly‐ N ‐Isopropylacrylamide and Copolymers

CAPELLA, VIRGINIA; BARBERO, CESAR A.; RIVAROLA, CLAUDIA R.; LIAUDAT, ANA C.; BOSCH, PABLO; BROGLIA, MARTIN F.; RODRÍGUEZ, NANCY

Advanced Materials Interfaces

John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Lugar: Hoboken; Año: 2022

2196-7350

Several researches have demonstrated that synthetic hydrogels can mimic themechanical and physicochemical properties of native extracellular matricesand act as cell-scaffold. The biointerface can influence over tissue activitiessuch as adhesion, signaling, cell–cell communications, and proliferation. Inthis work, the behavior of human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293) in contactwith hydrogel surfaces based on poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM) andcopolymers is studied. Ionic and neutral hydrogel surfaces are synthesizedby free radical polymerization and characterized by Fourier-transform infraredspectroscopy, swelling capacity, and wettability at culture conditions. Viability,proliferation, and bioadhesive capacity are analyzed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and Neutral Red assays, [3H]-thymidinetechnique, Acridine Orange and Hoechst dye. Noncytotoxic and proliferativeeffects are observed in all cases. HEK293 cells are mainly adapted andadhered on neutral and low ionic charge surfaces showing typical cell morphology,and normal mitotic rates. While, lower adhesion, abnormal nuclearand cytoplasmic morphologies with mitotic/fragmentation processes areobserved after contact with high ionic surfaces. The cellular cycle after cultiveon PNIPAM, assessed by flow cytometry, is not affected regarding controlsurfaces (polystyrene). Therefore, hydrogel surfaces with neutral and lowionic charges can be apt to in vitro tissue development and possible applicationsof biomedical treatments.