Interactions of leukocytes and platelets with poly(lysine/leucine) immobilized on tetraethylene glycol-terminated self-assembled monolayers.

Surfaces that bind heparin are important for biomaterials for blood deheparinization. In our recent work it was demonstrated that a polypeptide composed of L-lysine and L-leucine (pKL), after immobilization onto tetra(ethylene glycol) terminated self-assembled monolayers (EG4-SAMs), can bind heparin from blood plasma in a selective, concentration-dependent way. During this work the effect of this peptide on platelet adhesion and activation and leukocyte adhesion was studied.

Compacting proteins: pros and cons of osmolyte-induced folding.

Biomedical applications of osmolytes, including stabilization of protein-based pharmaceutics, preservation of living biological material and potential therapeutic prescription in vivo, are intimately related to the fact that osmolytes favour the native structure of proteins. The shift towards the native structure is associated to the compaction of the protein by a non-specific mechanism. This compaction is observed mostly for the unfolded state but also for the transition state ensemble and even for the native state.