Modification of human MSC surface with oligopeptide‐PEG‐lipids for selective binding to activated endothelium

Promising cell therapies using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is proposed for stroke patients. Therefore, we aimed to efficiently accumulate human MSC (hMSC) to damaged brain area to improve the therapeutic effect using poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)‐conjugated phospholipid (PEG‐lipid) carrying an oligopeptide as a ligand, specific for E‐selectin which is upregulated on activated endothelial cells under hypoxia‐like stroke. Here we synthesized E‐selectin‐binding oligopeptide (ES‐bp) conjugated with PEG spacer having different molecular weights from 1 to 40 kDa. We found that ES‐bp can be immobilized onto the hMSC surface through PEG‐lipid without influence on cell growth and differentiation into adipocytes and osteocytes, respectively. It is also possible to control the immobilization of ES‐bp on hMSC surface (