Engineering Biocompatible Scaffolds through the Design of Elastin-Based Short Peptides

A small library of short peptides has been synthesized based upon the repeat tetrapeptide sequence Gly-Val-Ala-Pro (GVAP) which is found in the hydrophobic domain of tropoelastin. Of the five peptides synthesized, four formed self-supporting hydrogels with similar secondary structures. The ability to tune the mechanical properties of the resultant hydrogels was demonstrated, and this is understood in relation to fiber bundling. Finally, the cytotoxicity of these elastin-based short peptide hydrogels towards HeLa cells was assessed, with clear evidence that increased aromaticity of the peptide is detrimental towards cell viability.