Choice of capping group in tripeptide hydrogels influences viability in the three-dimensional cell culture of tumor spheroids

Two peptide-derived low-molecular-weight gelators bearing different capping groups, 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc) and phenothiazine, were synthesized and their gel networks were characterized. The variation of the N-terminal capping group affects the viability of these hydrogels as a three-dimensional cell culture for multicellular tumor spheroids. These results indicate that the phenothiazine capping group is a more biocompatible alternative to the widely used Fmoc moiety.