Polyelectrolyte thromboresistant affinity coatings for modification of devices contacting blood

The modification of hydrophobic polyethylene/polystyrene surfaces of medical devices with bilayer/multilayer coatings (BCs/MCs) based on polyelectrolyte complexes (PEC) of modified poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone-co-maleic acid) copolymer (VPMA) with chitosan, amphiphilic chitosan, or albumin was studied. The VPMA contained l-Lysine as affinity ligand for plasminogen attached through alpha-amino group. The surface properties and chemical composition of the surfaces investigated were analyzed, using sessile-drop water contact angle measurements, attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The specific adsorption of plasminogen (precursor of fibrinolytic enzyme plasmin) from its solutions and from human blood plasma on the modified surfaces was investigated. It was established that polyelectrolyte MCs are more efficient than single-layer BCs and the affine polymer coatings without interlayer. A thrombogenicity decrease for the materials modified with BCs and MCs was shown in in vitro and ex vivo trials.

Electrochemical processing of fibrinogen modified-graphite surfaces: Effect on plasmin generation from adsorbed plasminogen

With the aim to improve the fibrinolytic properties of carbons by different biological and electrochemical treatments, we modified graphite surfaces by fibrinogen adsorption and subsequent application of various constant potentials before submitting them to plasminogen adsorption. First, we verified that plasminogen (purified or present in human plasma) could adsorb onto these modified surfaces and that adsorbed plasminogen could be converted by t-PA (the principal physiological activator of plasminogen) to adsorbed plasmin. The catalytic properties of the generated enzyme were characterized in assay solutions containing t-PA, fibrinogen and the chromogenic substrate S-2403 (pyroGlu-Phe-Lys-p-nitroaniline, HCl). Experiments showed that the application of electrical potentials to the fibrinogen coating could indirectly affect the properties of the material. In the case of anodic potentials, the amidolytic activity of the generated plasmin was significantly enhanced. Especially, this activity was 10 times higher at a particular potential value.

Use of the affinity chromatography principle in creating new thromboresistant materials

The principle of affinity chromatography was used for preparation of thromboresistant bilayer coatings. The outer biospecific layer containing epsilon-aminocaproic acid residues (from 2.2 up to 5.5 nmol/cm2) was synthesized using a copolymer of maleic anhydride with N-vinylpyrrolidone and L-lysine dihydrochloride or N-epsilon-tert-BOC-L-lysine. This surface can selectively adsorb plasminogen (fibrinolytic zymogen) from blood. The biospecific layer (from 2.0 up to 3.6 microg/cm2) was applied for covering chitosan (native or modified) or albumin interlayer. Such bilayer coatings (BCs) were stable and represented the insoluble polyelectrolyte complexes. BCs were proposed for bilayer modification of synthetic vascular grafts, polyethylene, and other materials contacting with blood. This technique allowed us to significantly reduce thrombogenic properties of polyethylene surfaces.

Sensitivity deviation: instrumental linearity errors that influence concentration analyses and kinetic evaluation of biomolecular interactions

Many scientific instruments utilise multiple element detectors, e.g. CCD's or photodiode arrays, to monitor the change in a position of an optical pattern. For example. instruments for affinity biosensing based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) or resonant mirror are equipped with such detectors. An important and desired property of these bioanalytical instruments is that the calculation of the movement or change in shape follows the true change. This is often not the case and it may lead to linearity errors, and to sensitivity errors. The sensitivity is normally defined as the slope of the calibration curve. A new parameter is introduced to account for the linearity errors, the sensitivity deviation, defined as the deviation from the undistorted slope of the calibration curve. The linearity error and the sensitivity deviation are intimately related and the sensitivity deviation may lead to misinterpretation of kinetic data, mass transport limitations and concentration analyses. Because the linearity errors are small (e.g. 10 pg/mm2 of biomolecules on the sensor surface) with regard to the dynamic range (e.g. 30,000 pg/mm2), they can be difficult to discover. However, the linearity errors are often not negligible with regard to a typical response (e.g. 0-100 pg/mm2). and may therefore cause serious problems. A method for detecting linearity errors is outlined. Further on, this paper demonstrates how integral linearity errors of less than 1% can result in a sensitivity deviation of 10%, a value that in our opinion cannot be ignored in biospecific interaction analysis (BIA). It should also be stressed out that this phenomenon also occurs in other instruments using array detectors.