Screening of functionalized self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffolds with angiogenic activity for endothelial cell growth

Promotion of angiogenesis in tissue engineering is of vital significance to the survival of transplants, which leads the way of tissue regeneration. In this study, we screened six short peptides with potentially angiogenic activities to functionalize self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffolds RADA16-I (Ac-(RADA)4-CONH2). Fluorescence microscopy images of endothelial cells morphology on peptide scaffolds exhibited good cell attachments and survivals on these six functionalized peptide scaffolds, especially on peptide scaffolds RAD/KLT and RAD/PRG. Cell proliferation examination also confirmed the excellent cell growth on these two functionalized peptide scaffolds. Functional peptide motifs KLT (KLTWQELYQLKYKGI) and PRG (PRGDSGYRGDS) had positive effects on endothelial cell survival and growth, which implied that these two peptides might have great promise for promoting angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo.