Production of interferon‐β by fibroblast cells on membranes prepared with RGD‐containing peptides

Abstract The production of interferon‐β by NB1‐RGB fibroblast cells cultured on protein and peptide membranes prepared from silk fibroin, motif peptides of silk fibroin [(AG)_n] containing arginine–glycine–aspartic acid (RGD) peptide, and Pronectin™ was investigated. The cell density on various protein and peptide membranes was approximately the same, although the production of interferon‐β depended significantly on the membranes where the cells were cultured. The highest production of interferon‐β was observed when the cells were cultured on (AG)₆RGD(AG)₇ membranes prepared with hexafluoroacetone (HFA) as the casting solvent. On RGD‐containing peptide membranes more centrally located in the peptides, the cells produced more interferon‐β when the peptide membranes were prepared with HFA as the casting solvent. However, there was no enhanced production of interferon‐β by cells on (AG)₆RGD(AG)₇ membranes prepared with 9 mol/L LiBr or 4.5 mol/L LiClO₄ solution as the casting solvent. Therefore, both the chemical composition and the secondary and higher order structure of the peptide membranes are important for enhanced production of interferon‐β. The blocking of integrin β₁ on the cells by anti‐integrin β₁ antibody prevented the enhanced production of interferon‐β on (AG)₆RGD(AG)₇ membranes prepared with HFA. We suggest that the cells must bind to the RGD sequence having the appropriate conformation through their integrin β₁ for enhanced production of interferon‐β. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 65A: 369–378, 2003