Fibronectin and cell attachment to cell and protein resistant polyelectrolyte surfaces

Culture of A7r5 smooth muscle cells on a polyelectrolyte multilayer film (PEMU) can influence various cell properties, including adhesion, motility, and cytoskeletal organization, that are modulated by the extracellular matrix (ECM) in vivo. ECM contribution to cell behavior on PEMUs was investigated by determining the amount of fibronectin (FN) bound to charged and hydrophobic PEMUs by optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy and immunofluorescence microscopy. FN bound best to poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH)-terminated and Nafion-terminated PEMUs. FN bound poorly to PEMUs terminated with a copolymer of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and 3-[2-(acrylamido)-ethyl dimethylammonio] propane sulfonate (PAA-co-AEDAPS). Cells adhered and spread well on the Nafion-terminated PEMU surfaces. In contrast, cells spread less and migrated more on both FN-coated and uncoated PAH-terminated PEMU surfaces. Both cells and FN interacted much better with Nafion than with PAA-co-PAEDAPS in a micropatterned PEMU. These results indicate that A7r5 cell adhesion, spreading, and motility on PEMUs can be independent of FN binding to the surfaces.