Effect of ProNectin F derivatives on cell attachment and proliferation

ProNectin F (PnF) was chemically modified by introducing some functional groups to prepare various derivatives of primary amino (PnF-N₁), tertiary amino (PnF-N₃), quaternary ammonium (PnF-N₄), carboxyl (PnF-COOH) and sulfonyl groups (PnF-SO₃H). When C3H10T1/2 cells were cultured on non-treated dishes coated with the derivatives, the number of mesenchymal cells attached to the culture dishes increased for the coating with PnF-COOH and PnF-SO₃H, even at their low adsorption amount. The cytotoxicity was high for the coating of PnF-N₁ and PnF-N₄ compared with that of the PnF-N₃, PnF-COOH and PnF-SO₃H. The treatment with integrin α5 and αV antibodies suppressed the cell attachment to the dishes coated with PnF-COOH and PnF-SO₃H. The phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) was upregulated for cells attached to the dishes coated with PnF-COOH and PnF-SO₃H, indicating their enhanced proliferation. It is concluded that the chemical derivatization of PnF enhanced the ability of cell attachment and proliferation.