skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Supramolecular Nanostructure Activates TrkB Receptor Signaling of Neuronal Cells by Mimicking Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor

Journal Article · · Nano Letters
 [1];  [2];  [3]; ORCiD logo [2];  [4]; ORCiD logo [5];  [3]; ORCiD logo [6]
  1. Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States); Northwestern Univ., Chicago, IL (United States). Simpson Querrey Inst.
  2. Northwestern Univ., Chicago, IL (United States). Simpson Querrey Inst.
  3. Northwestern Univ., Chicago, IL (United States). Feinberg School of Medicine
  4. Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
  5. Northwestern Univ., Chicago, IL (United States). Simpson Querrey Inst.; Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States)
  6. Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States); Northwestern Univ., Chicago, IL (United States). Simpson Querrey Inst. and Dept. of Medicine

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a neurotrophin that binds specifically to the tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) receptor, has been shown to promote neuronal differentiation, maturation, and synaptic plasticity in the central nervous system (CNS) during development or after injury and onset of disease. Unfortunately, native BDNF protein-based therapies have had little clinical success due to their suboptimal pharmacological properties. In the past 20 years, BDNF mimetic peptides have been designed with the purpose of activating certain cell pathways that mimic the functional activity of native BDNF, but the interaction of mimetic peptides with cells can be limited due to the conformational specificity required for receptor activation. We report here on the incorporation of a BDNF mimetic sequence into a supramolecular peptide amphiphile filamentous nanostructure capable of activating the BDNF receptor TrkB and downstream signaling in primary cortical neurons in vitro. Interestingly, we found that this BDNF mimetic peptide is only active when displayed on a peptide amphiphile supramolecular nanostructure. We confirmed that increased neuronal maturation is linked to TrkB signaling pathways by analyzing the phosphorylation of downstream signaling effectors and tracking electrical activity over time. Furthermore, three-dimensional gels containing the BDNF peptide amphiphile (PA) nanostructures encourage cell infiltration while increasing functional maturation. Our findings suggest that the BDNF mimetic PA nanostructure creates a highly bioactive matrix that could serve as a biomaterial therapy in injured regions of the CNS. As such, this new strategy has the potential to induce endogenous cell infiltration and promote functional neuronal maturation through the presentation of the BDNF mimetic signal.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC); US Army Research Office (ARO); US Army Medical Research Materiel Command; National Science Foundation (NSF); National Cancer Institute (NCI); State of Illinois; International Institute for Nanotechnology (IIN); Northwestern University; E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co.; The Dow Chemical Company; National Institutes of Health (NIH); National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB); Les Turner ALS Foundation; Muscular Dystrophy Association; Dravet Foundation; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS); Beatriu de Pinós Fellowship; Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) Research Foundation
Grant/Contract Number:
NCI CA060553; AC02-06CH11357; 5R01EB003806-07; PVA17_RF_0008
OSTI ID:
1482234
Journal Information:
Nano Letters, Vol. 18, Issue 10; ISSN 1530-6984
Publisher:
American Chemical SocietyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 66 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (72)

Sulfated glycopeptide nanostructures for multipotent protein activation journal June 2017
BDNF-expressing marrow stromal cells support extensive axonal growth at sites of spinal cord injury journal February 2005
The BDNF effects on dendritic spines of mature hippocampal neurons depend on neuronal activity journal March 2014
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Is Required for the Maintenance of Cortical Dendrites journal July 2003
TrkB-enhancer facilitates functional recovery after traumatic brain injury journal September 2017
A Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor-Based p75 NTR Peptide Mimetic Ameliorates Experimental Autoimmune Neuritis Induced Axonal Pathology and Demyelination journal May 2017
Supramolecular nanostructures that mimic VEGF as a strategy for ischemic tissue repair journal August 2011
Design of a Conformationally Defined and Proteolytically Stable Circular Mimetic of Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor journal November 2008
Instructing cells with programmable peptide DNA hybrids journal July 2017
Electrostatic Control of Bioactivity journal May 2011
Neurotrophins and their receptors: A convergence point for many signalling pathways journal April 2003
Neurotrophin regulation of neural circuit development and function journal December 2012
The MAP2/Tau family of microtubule-associated proteins journal December 2004
Self-Assembly and Mineralization of Peptide-Amphiphile Nanofibers journal November 2001
Peptides derived from the solvent-exposed loops 3 and 4 of BDNF bind TrkB and p75 NTR receptors and stimulate neurite outgrowth and survival journal January 2009
Functional Supramolecular Polymers journal February 2012
Converting a Peptide into a Drug: Strategies to Improve Stability and Bioavailability journal May 2002
BDNF/ TrkB interaction regulates migration of SVZ precursor cells via PI3-K and MAP-K signalling pathways: BDNF regulates SVZ neuroblast migration journal September 2007
A neurotrophic peptide-functionalized self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel enhances rat sciatic nerve regeneration journal March 2018
A tenascin-C mimetic peptide amphiphile nanofiber gel promotes neurite outgrowth and cell migration of neurosphere-derived cells journal June 2016
Fine tuning neuronal targeting of nanoparticles by adjusting the ligand grafting density and combining PEG spacers of different length journal September 2018
Energy landscapes and functions of supramolecular systems journal January 2016
Neurotrophins: Roles in Neuronal Development and Function journal March 2001
MAPK cascade signalling and synaptic plasticity journal March 2004
Structure-Activity Relationships of Conformationally Constrained Peptide Analogues of Loop 2 of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor journal April 1998
Balance and Stability of Synaptic Structures during Synaptic Plasticity journal April 2014
Neuronal activity alters BDNF-TrkB signaling kinetics and downstream functions journal January 2014
Interface Immobilization Chemistry of c RGD‐based Peptides Regulates Integrin Mediated Cell Adhesion journal October 2013
New Directions for Half-Life Extension of Protein Therapeutics: The Rise of Antibody Fc Domains and Fragments journal December 2016
Transplantation of RADA16-BDNF peptide scaffold with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells forced with CXCR4 and activated astrocytes for repair of traumatic brain injury journal November 2016
Supramolecular Assembly of Peptide Amphiphiles journal September 2017
Binding of brain-derived neurotrophic factor to the nerve growth factor receptor journal April 1990
TrkB and TrkC Signaling Are Required for Maturation and Synaptogenesis of Hippocampal Connections journal September 1998
Serum-free B27/neurobasal medium supports differentiated growth of neurons from the striatum, substantia nigra, septum, cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and dentate gyrus journal December 1995
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Stimulates Energy Metabolism in Developing Cortical Neurons journal September 2003
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and the development of structural neuronal connectivity journal January 2010
Growth Factors, Matrices, and Forces Combine and Control Stem Cells journal June 2009
Protein Synthesis and Neurotrophin-Dependent Structural Plasticity of Single Dendritic Spines journal March 2008
Neurotrophins Stimulate Chemotaxis of Embryonic Cortical Neurons journal December 1997
Trk Receptors: Roles in Neuronal Signal Transduction journal June 2003
Nanofibrous scaffolds releasing a small molecule BDNF-mimetic for the re-direction of endogenous neuroblast migration in the brain journal March 2014
A phase I/II trial of recombinant methionyl human brain derived neurotrophic factor administered by intrathecal infusion to patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis journal January 2000
Mimicking the Bioactivity of Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 Using Supramolecular Nanoribbons journal June 2017
Modified low molecular weight cyclic peptides as mimetics of BDNF with improved potency, proteolytic stability and transmembrane passage in vitro journal April 2009
Novel monocyclic and bicyclic loop mimetics of brain-derived neurotrophic factor journal January 2006
Surfaces modified with covalently-immobilized adhesive peptides affect fibroblast population motility journal January 1996
Neuroprotective effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in rodent and primate models of Alzheimer's disease journal February 2009
Presentation and Recognition of Biotin on Nanofibers Formed by Branched Peptide Amphiphiles journal February 2005
TDP6, a brain-derived neurotrophic factor-based trkB peptide mimetic, promotes oligodendrocyte myelination journal November 2014
Injectable biomimetic liquid crystalline scaffolds enhance muscle stem cell transplantation journal September 2017
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor serum levels correlate with cognitive performance in Parkinson’s disease patients with mild cognitive impairment journal September 2015
β1-Integrin and Integrin Linked Kinase Regulate Astrocytic Differentiation of Neural Stem Cells journal August 2014
Cyclic AMP controls BDNF-induced TrkB phosphorylation and dendritic spine formation in mature hippocampal neurons journal January 2005
Potential therapeutic uses of BDNF in neurological and psychiatric disorders journal March 2011
Small molecule BDNF mimetics activate TrkB signaling and prevent neuronal degeneration in rodents journal May 2010
Postsynaptic BDNF-TrkB signaling in synapse maturation, plasticity, and disease journal January 2010
A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial of recombinant human brain-derived neurotrophic factor (rhBDNF) in diabetic polyneuropathy journal December 2001
Neurotrophin-3 and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Induce Oligodendrocyte Proliferation and Myelination of Regenerating Axons in the Contused Adult Rat Spinal Cord journal July 1998
Transient Growth Factor Delivery Sustains Regenerated Axons after Spinal Cord Injury journal September 2007
BDNF-based synaptic repair as a disease-modifying strategy for neurodegenerative diseases journal May 2013
Motoneuron BDNF/TrkB signaling enhances functional recovery after cervical spinal cord injury journal September 2013
The yin and yang of neurotrophin action journal August 2005
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Administration Mediated Oligodendrocyte Differentiation and Myelin Formation in Subcortical Ischemic Stroke journal January 2015
The involvement of BDNF, NGF and GDNF in aging and Alzheimer's disease journal January 2015
Differential effects of phospholipase inhibitors in long-term potentiation in the rat hippocampal mossy fiber synapses and Schaffer/commissural synapses journal May 1989
Design of Potent Peptide Mimetics of Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor journal July 2003
Selective Differentiation of Neural Progenitor Cells by High-Epitope Density Nanofibers journal February 2004
Purification of a new neurotrophic factor from mammalian brain. journal May 1982
Epitope topography controls bioactivity in supramolecular nanofibers journal January 2015
Acute and gradual increases in BDNF concentration elicit distinct signaling and functions in neurons journal February 2010
Neurotrophins: from enthusiastic expectations through sobering experiences to rational therapeutic approaches journal October 2002
Signaling Mechanisms Mediating BDNF Modulation of Synaptic Plasticity in the Hippocampus journal May 1999

Cited By (8)

Using Self-Assembling Peptides to Integrate Biomolecules into Functional Supramolecular Biomaterials journal April 2019
In Situ Self‐Assembled Nanofibers Precisely Target Cancer‐Associated Fibroblasts for Improved Tumor Imaging journal September 2019
β-Galactosidase instructed supramolecular hydrogelation for selective identification and removal of senescent cells journal January 2019
Injectable peptide hydrogel as intraperitoneal triptolide depot for the treatment of orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma journal September 2019
Pep‐Lipid Cubosomes and Vesicles Compartmentalized by Micelles from Self‐Assembly of Multiple Neuroprotective Building Blocks Including a Large Peptide Hormone PACAP‐DHA journal September 2019
In Situ Self‐Assembled Nanofibers Precisely Target Cancer‐Associated Fibroblasts for Improved Tumor Imaging journal October 2019
Kaempferide prevents cognitive decline via attenuation of oxidative stress and enhancement of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor/tropomyosin receptor kinase B/cAMP response element‐binding signaling pathway journal January 2019
Advanced Bottom‐Up Engineering of Living Architectures journal December 2019

Figures / Tables (5)