Effect of low molecular weight additives on immobilization strength, activity, and conformation of protein immobilized on PVC and UHMWPE

Biophysical studies of modified PVC sheet based on sunflower oil for antistatic and blood bags applications

In this work, the surface of polyvinyl chloride PVC sheet was modified by blending it with sunflower seed oil SSO to obtain PVC sheet/SSO films of ratios 100/0, 90/10, 80/20, 70/30, 60/40, and 50/50 (v/v)% using the solution casting method. Various techniques were used to characterize the prepared films, besides the use of hemolysis assays and blood clot formation tests. FTIR spectra revealed that there was a good interaction between the PVC sheet and the oil. The dielectric measurement indicated that SSO addition enhanced the dielectric properties of the sheet. The study of dielectric relaxation times confirmed the interaction between SSO and the sheet. DC conductivity increased to 6 × 10-6 S/m, so it could be applied in antistatic applications. Also, SSO addition increased the value of the thermal stability. According to SEM micrographs, the film was roughened at a ratio of 60/40 and smoothed out at 50/50. This behavior was confirmed with roughness and contact angle measurement results, in which the film of ratio 60/40 had the highest value equal to (72.03°) and then decreased at 50/50 to (59.62°). These results were confirmed by XRD measurement as the crystallinity increased at the film ratio of 60/40 and decreased again at 50/50. Also, the ratio of 60/40 demonstrated a large decrease in thrombus weights along with a slight increase in hemolysis, which is within the acceptable range and has a high degree of biocompatibility, so this concentration is recommended to be used in blood bags applications.

Neuromorphic sensing of biomolecules covalently immobilised on polydimethyl glutarimide

Polydimethyl glutarimide (PMGI) layers with sub-micron thicknesses have been modified in a 2.5 kV Ar plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) process to introduce free radical covalent binding sites. The surface roughness of the PMGI increased after the PIII treatment but no through-layer defects were observed. When applied to the treated PMGI, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme remained bound to the surface after extended immersion in sodium dodecyl sulfate solution (SDS). Hence, covalent binding between the activated surface and enzyme was confirmed. This covalent binding was achieved up to 24-h after the PIII process. The treated PMGI was then incorporated as a gate dielectric layer within a lateral three-terminal electrolyte-gated device. The device output characteristics resembled those of post-synaptic outputs; as successive (pre-synaptic) voltage pulses were applied to the gate, paired pulse depression and spike rate dependent plasticity were observed in the source-drain (post-synaptic) current. These characteristics were altered by the presence of HRP immobilised on the plasma-modified PMGI gate dielectric layer thus providing readout detection. These results and preliminary device characteristics show the potential for the plasma functionalized PMGI as a sensitive and reproducible biosensing technology.

Foreign Body Reaction (Immune Response) for Artificial Implants Can Be Avoided: An Example of Polyurethane in Mice for 1 Week

Despite great success with artificial implants for the human body, modern implants cannot solve major health problems. The reason is an immune reaction of organisms to artificial implants, known as the foreign body reaction. We have found a way to avoid or decrease the foreign body reaction. The surface of an artificial implant is modified with condensed aromatic structures containing free radicals, which provide a covalent attachment of host proteins in a native conformation. The total protein coverage prevents the direct contact of immune cells with the implant surface, and the immune cells are not activated. As a result, the immune response of the organism is not generated, and the artificial implant is not isolated from the tissue; there is no collagen capsule, low activity of macrophages, low cell proliferation, and low inflammatory activity.

Functional Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Composites for Ligament Reconstructions and Their Targeted Applications in the Restoration of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament

The selection of biomaterials as biomedical implants is a significant challenge. Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and composites of such kind have been extensively used in medical implants, notably in the bearings of the hip, knee, and other joint prostheses, owing to its biocompatibility and high wear resistance. For the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) graft, synthetic UHMWPE is an ideal candidate due to its biocompatibility and extremely high tensile strength. However, significant problems are observed in UHMWPE based implants, such as wear debris and oxidative degradation. To resolve the issue of wear and to enhance the life of UHMWPE as an implant, in recent years, this field has witnessed numerous innovative methodologies such as biofunctionalization or high temperature melting of UHMWPE to enhance its toughness and strength. The surface functionalization/modification/treatment of UHMWPE is very challenging as it requires optimizing many variables, such as surface tension and wettability, active functional groups on the surface, irradiation, and protein immobilization to successfully improve the mechanical properties of UHMWPE and reduce or eliminate the wear or osteolysis of the UHMWPE implant. Despite these difficulties, several surface roughening, functionalization, and irradiation processing technologies have been developed and applied in the recent past. The basic research and direct industrial applications of such material improvement technology are very significant, as evidenced by the significant number of published papers and patents. However, the available literature on research methodology and techniques related to material property enhancement and protection from wear of UHMWPE is disseminated, and there is a lack of a comprehensive source for the research community to access information on the subject matter. Here we provide an overview of recent developments and core challenges in the surface modification/functionalization/irradiation of UHMWPE and apply these findings to the case study of UHMWPE for ACL repair.

Effect of Recombinant Human Perlecan Domain V Tethering Method on Protein Orientation and Blood Contacting Activity on Polyvinyl Chloride

Surface modification of biomaterials is a promising approach to control biofunctionality while retaining the bulk biomaterial properties. Perlecan is the major proteoglycan in the vascular basement membrane that supports low levels of platelet adhesion but not activation. Thus, perlecan is a promising bioactive for blood-contacting applications. This study furthers the mechanistic understanding of platelet interactions with perlecan by establishing that platelets utilize domains III and V of the core protein for adhesion. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is functionalized with recombinant human perlecan domain V (rDV) to explore the effect of the tethering method on proteoglycan orientation and bioactivity. Tethering of rDV to PVC is achieved via either physisorption or covalent attachment via plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) treatment. Both methods of rDV tethering reduce platelet adhesion and activation compared to the pristine PVC, however, the mechanisms are unique for each tethering method. Physisorption of rDV on PVC orientates the molecule to hinder access to the integrin-binding region, which inhibits platelet adhesion. In contrast, PIII treatment orientates rDV to allow access to the integrin-binding region, which is rendered antiadhesive to platelets via the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chain. These effects demonstrate the potential of rDV biofunctionalization to modulate platelet interactions for blood contacting applications.

Interaction of the surface bound antimicrobial peptides melimine and Mel4 with Staphylococcus aureus

Melimine and Mel4 are cationic antimicrobial peptides which can resist biofilm development once bound to biomaterials. The aim of the current study was to determine the mode of action of bound melimine and Mel4 against S. aureus. The peptides were covalently attached to glass using an azidobenzoic acid linker. The amount of attached peptides was confirmed by XPS and amino acid analysis and their covalent attachment by SDS extraction. The release of autolysins after interaction of S. aureus with immobilized peptides was determined in cell free supernatants. The interaction of immobilized peptides with lipoteichoic acid was confirmed by ELISA. Membrane damage by surface bound peptides was assessed using DiSC(3)-5 (membrane potential sensitive), Syto-9 (membrane permeable) and PI (membrane impermeable) dyes with fluorescence microscopy. Release of ATP and nucleic acids (DNA/RNA) was measured in the surrounding fluid. Attachment of the peptides resulted in increased N% for melimine (5.4 ± 1.8%) and for Mel4 (4.8 ± 1.8%). The concentrations of immobilised amino acids were 0.297 nmole for melimine and 0.358 nmole for Mel4. SDS extraction released < 15% of peptides from the glass. The immobilized peptides bound ≥ 4 times more LTA than control surfaces. More autolysins (8 ± 2%; p = 0.026) were released from Mel4 than melimine or control surfaces. Membrane depolarization occurred at 15 min and was associated with a reduction in bacterial viability ≥ 37% for both peptides (p < 0.001). Disruption of the membrane potential resulted in loss of ATP from melimine (0.9 ± 0.4 nM) or Mel4 (0.6 ± 0.3 nM) coated surfaces compared to control (p < 0.001). Melimine coatings yielded 27 ± 11% (p = 0.026) and Mel4 gave 17 ± 12% (p = 0.150) PI stained cells after 4 h. DNA/RNA was released only by melimine coatings (2.1 ± 0.1 times; p = 0.011) compared to process control at 6 h. Both bound peptides resulted in the release of ATP, but only melimine released DNA/RNA while Mel4-coating resulted in the release of autolysins. Since the mode of action of melimine and Mel4 relate to the cell surface, they have potential for the development of infection-resistant implants.

Entrapment of enzyme in the presence of proline: effective approach to enhance activity and stability of horseradish peroxidase

In this report, activity and stability of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) entrapped in polyacrylamide gel in the presence of proline (HEP) are compared with that of enzyme entrapped in absence of proline (HE). Within polyacrylamide (8%) beads, 80% entrapment yield for peroxidase was observed in the presence as well as absence of proline. The HEP (1.5 M proline) showed 170% higher activity compared to HE. HEP also showed significant increase in K _M, V _max and K _cat. At 8th cycle of use, HEP retained 40% of its activity, whereas HE retained only 10% of activity. In addition, in comparison with HE, HEP showed increased storage stability and thermo-stability. HEP showed higher activity compared to HE over an extensive range of pH (4-8), temperature (30-80 °C) and inhibitors such as NaN₃, Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺. Our results suggest that peroxidase entrapment in polyacrylamide gel in the presence of proline can be a useful approach for increasing activity and stability of horseradish peroxidase.

Mechanism of Action of Surface Immobilized Antimicrobial Peptides Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Bacterial colonization and biofilm development on medical devices can lead to infection. Antimicrobial peptide-coated surfaces may prevent such infections. Melimine and Mel4 are chimeric cationic peptides showing broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity once attached to biomaterials and are highly biocompatible in animal models and have been tested in Phase I and II/III human clinical trials. These peptides were covalently attached to glass using an azidobenzoic acid linker. Peptide attachment was confirmed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and amino acid analysis. Mel4 when bound to glass was able to adopt a more ordered structure in the presence of bacterial membrane mimetic lipids. The ability of surface bound peptides to neutralize endotoxin was measured along with their interactions with the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane which were analyzed using DiSC(3)-5 and Sytox green, Syto-9, and PI dyes with fluorescence microscopy. Leakage of ATP and nucleic acids from cells were determined by analyzing the surrounding fluid. Attachment of the peptides resulted in increases in the percentage of nitrogen by 3.0% and 2.4%, and amino acid concentrations to 0.237 nmole and 0.298 nmole per coverslip on melimine and Mel4 coated surfaces, respectively. The immobilized peptides bound lipopolysaccharide and disrupted the cytoplasmic membrane potential of Pseudomonas aeruginosa within 15 min. Membrane depolarization was associated with a reduction in bacterial viability by 82% and 63% for coatings melimine and Mel4, respectively (p < 0.001). Disruption of membrane potential was followed by leakage of ATP from melimine (1.5 ± 0.4 nM) or Mel4 (1.3 ± 0.2 nM) coated surfaces compared to uncoated glass after 2 h (p < 0.001). Sytox green influx started after 3 h incubation with either peptide. Melimine coatings yielded 59% and Mel4 gave 36% PI stained cells after 4 h. Release of the larger molecules (DNA/RNA) commenced after 4 h for melimine (1.8 ± 0.9 times more than control; p = 0.008) and after 6 h with Mel4 (2.1 ± 0.2 times more than control; p < 0.001). The mechanism of action of surface bound melimine and Mel4 was similar to that of the peptides in solution, however, their immobilization resulted in much slower (approximately 30 times) kinetics.

A plasma ion bombardment process enabling reagent-free covalent binding of multiple functional molecules onto magnetic particles

We report a plasma immersion ion implantation process for functionalizing polymer coated magnetic particles, converting them into a universal covalent binding platform for the simultaneous binding of multiple molecular agents without the need for specialised chemical linking groups. As an example, we demonstrate the improvement of wettability and the control of surface charge of polystyrene coated magnetic particles, enhancing biomolecule attachment density with strong covalent binding. We demonstrate the preparation of multifunctional magnetic particles where two or more types of molecule are co-immobilized. This enables a platform technology with simultaneous multiple covalent binding of molecules drawn from oligonucleotides, antibodies and enzymes suitable for targeted nanoparticle diagnostic and therapies.

Selection of Lipases for the Synthesis of Biodiesel from Jatropha Oil and the Potential of Microwave Irradiation to Enhance the Reaction Rate

The present study deals with the enzymatic synthesis of biodiesel by transesterification of Jatropha oil (Jatropha curcas L.) with ethanol in a solvent-free system. Seven commercial lipase preparations immobilized by covalent attachment on epoxy-polysiloxane-polyvinyl alcohol composite (epoxy-SiO₂-PVA) were tested as biocatalysts. Among them, immobilized lipases from Pseudomonas fluorescens (lipase AK) and Burkholderia cepacia (lipase PS) were the most active biocatalysts in biodiesel synthesis, reaching ethyl ester yields (FAEE) of 91.1 and 98.3% at 72 h of reaction, respectively. The latter biocatalyst exhibited similar performance compared to Novozym® 435. Purified biodiesel was characterized by different techniques. Transesterification reaction carried out under microwave irradiation exhibited higher yield and productivity than conventional heating. The operational stability of immobilized lipase PS was determined in repeated batch runs under conventional and microwave heating systems, revealing half-life times of 430.4 h and 23.5 h, respectively.

Covalent linker-free immobilization of conjugatable oligonucleotides on polypropylene surfaces

A novel plasma treatment method was used to activate a polymer surface for oligonucleotide immobilization.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Surfactants and Denaturants to Elute and Denature Adsorbed Protein on Different Surface Chemistries

The elution and/or denaturation of proteins from material surfaces by chemical excipients such as surfactants and denaturants is important for numerous applications including medical implant reprocessing, bioanalyses, and biodefense. The objective of this study was to develop and apply methods to quantitatively assess how surface chemistry and adsorption conditions influence the effectiveness of three commonly used surfactants (sodium dodecyl sulfate, n-octyl-β-d-glucoside, and 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate) and two denaturants (guanidium hydrochloride and urea) to elute protein (hen egg white lysozyme and bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A) from three different surface chemistries (silica glass, poly(methyl methacrylate), and high-density polyethylene). The structure and bioactivity of residual protein on the surface following elution were characterized using circular dichroism spectropolarimetry and enzyme assays to assess the extent of protein denaturation. Our results indicate that the denaturants were generally more effective than the surfactants in removing the adsorbed proteins from each type of surface. Also, the denaturing capacity of these excipients on the residual proteins on the surfaces was distinctly different from their influence on the proteins in solution and was unique for each of the adsorption conditions. Taken altogether, these results reveal that the effectiveness of surfactants and denaturants to elute and denature adsorbed protein is significantly influenced by surface chemistry and the conditions from which the protein was adsorbed. These results provide a basis for the selection, design, and further development of chemical agents for protein elution and surface decontamination.

Effects of additives on lipase immobilization in microemulsion-based organogels

An inexpensive, facile, and environmentally benign method was developed to improve the activity and stability of Candida rugosa lipase (triacylglycerol acylhydrolase) immobilized on microemulsion-based organogels (CRL MBGs) via the addition of additives during immobilization. The additives used were polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polysaccharides. This study is the first report on the effect of additives in CRL MBGs. Among the tested additives, PEG produced the most improvement in the immobilized CRL, enhancing its stability in organic solvents (specifically polar solvents). The results of circular dichroism and fluorescence spectra experiments indicated that exposure of the acidic CRL to electronegative additives in the buffer, such as polyethylenimine and the electropositive surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, may change the lipase secondary structure, ultimately causing enzyme inactivation. However, sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate and PEG 2000 had minimal effects on the secondary structure of CRL. The CRL MBGs containing PEG 2000 demonstrated remarkable retention of their catalytic activity during the recycling test. No significant changes in enzymatic activity were observed, even after nine runs, and 90% of the original yield was maintained after 15 cycles.

Insight into the effects of graphene oxide sheets on the conformation and activity of glucose oxidase: towards developing a nanomaterial-based protein conformation assay

Protein conformation associates with particular properties of proteins and relates to protein-mediated diseases. Detailed elucidation of secondary and tertiary formation, stability, and the structural and dynamic properties of proteins has been one of the main topics studied in chemistry and biology. In this work, the conformation changes in glucose oxidase (GOx) induced by the graphene oxide (GO) sheets were studied in detail by various spectroscopic techniques including ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption, fluorescence, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. The results indicated that GOx underwent substantial conformation changes after assembling on the surface of GO. The interaction of GOx with GO could induce the exposure of the FAD (flavin adenine dinucleotide) moiety to solvent and transfer tryptophan (Trp) residues to a more hydrophobic environment. The calculation from CD spectra showed that GO could induce the conversion of α-helix to β-sheet structures, even unfolding of the protein. These alterations in the conformation of GOx resulted in a significant decrease in the catalytic activity of the enzyme in glucose oxidation. The possible reasons for these conformation changes in GOx are also discussed. This work not only provides insight into the interaction between atomically flat graphitic structures and various biological systems but also creates a framework for analyzing the biosafety of nanomaterials in terms of the biological behavior of biomacromolecules. The results obtained here can direct the further applications of the nanomaterials.