In vitro non-thrombogenicity of a thrombin-substrate-immobilized polymer surface by the inhibition of thrombin activity

Biodegradable poly(ether ester urethane)urea elastomers based on poly(ether ester) triblock copolymers and putrescine: synthesis, characterization and cytocompatibility

Polymers with elastomeric mechanical properties, tunable biodegradation properties and cytocompatibility would be desirable for numerous biomedical applications. Toward this end a series of biodegradable poly(ether ester urethane)urea elastomers (PEEUUs) based on poly(ether ester) triblock copolymers were synthesized and characterized. Poly(ether ester) triblock copolymers were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone with polyethylene glycol (PEG). PEEUUs were synthesized from these triblock copolymers and butyl diisocyanate, with putrescine as a chain extender. PEEUUs exhibited low glass transition temperatures and possessed tensile strengths ranging from 8 to 20MPa and breaking strains from 325% to 560%. Increasing PEG length or decreasing poly(caprolactone) length in the triblock segment increased PEEUU water absorption and biodegradation rate. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells cultured in a medium supplemented with PEEUU biodegradation solution suggested a lack of degradation product cytotoxicity. Endothelial cell adhesion to PEEUUs was less than 60% of tissue culture polystyrene and was inversely related to PEEUU hydrophilicity. Surface modification of PEEUUs with ammonia gas radio-frequency glow discharge and subsequent immobilization of the cell adhesion peptide Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser increased endothelial adhesion to a level equivalent to tissue culture polystyrene. These biodegradable PEEUUs thus possessed properties that would be amenable to applications where high strength and flexibility would be desirable and exhibited the potential for tuning with appropriate triblock segment selection and surface modification.

Synthesis, characterization, and cytocompatibility of elastomeric, biodegradable poly(ester-urethane)ureas based on poly(caprolactone) and putrescine

The engineering of tissue for mechanically demanding applications in the cardiovascular system is likely to require mechanical conditioning of cell-scaffold constructs prior to their implantation. Scaffold properties amenable to such an application include high elasticity and strength coupled with controllable biodegradative and cell-adhesive properties. To fulfill such design criteria, we have synthesized a family of poly(ester-urethane)ureas (PEUUs) from polycaprolactone and 1,4-diisocyanatobutane. Lysine ethyl ester (Lys) or putrescine was used as chain extenders. To encourage cell adhesion, PEUUs were surface modified with radio-frequency glow discharge followed by coupling of Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGDS). The synthesized PEUUs were highly flexible, with breaking strains of 660-895% and tensile strengths from 9.2-29 MPa. Incubation in aqueous buffer for 8 weeks resulted in mass loss, from >50% (Lys chain extender) to 10% (putrescine chain extender). Human endothelial cells cultured for 4 days with medium containing the degradation products from PEUUs with either the Lys or putrescine chain extender showed no toxic effects. Cell adhesion was 85% of that measured on tissue-culture polystyrene for unmodified PEUU surfaces (p < 0.01) and >160% (p < 0.001) of polystyrene on RGDS-modified PEUUs. These biodegradable PEUUs demonstrate potential for future application as cell scaffolds in cardiovascular tissue-engineering or other soft-tissue applications.

Synthesis and nonthrombogenicity of polymer membrane with surface-graft polymers carrying thrombin inhibitor

An acrylamide derivative of a thrombin inhibitor was synthesized and graft polymerized to the surfaces of polymer membranes. The thrombin-inhibitor activity was unaffected by the introduction of an acryloyl group. The surface-graft membrane deactivated thrombin markedly and suppressed adhesion of platelets, resulting in a high nonthrombogenicity. Immersion of polymer membranes blended with the thrombin inhibitor in phosphate-buffered saline for 10 d resulted in the loss of nonthrombogenicity, while the polymer membranes grafted with the thrombin inhibitor derivative maintained the nonthrombogenicity over a long period.

Non-thrombogenicity by novel surface modification methods

Three novel methods, recently developed by us, for the synthesis of non-thrombogenetic materials were reviewed. The first was the utilization of poly(vinyl sulfonate) as a heparinoid and a newly synthesized polymerizable-thrombin-inhibitor. The chemicals were grafted onto the surfaces of materials. The second was the use of thrombin-substrate-analog peptide. The immobilized peptide was decomposed by blood coagulation factors and inhibited thrombus formation on the surface. The third method was the enhancement of endothelialization by immobilization of bio-signal molecules. The immobilized biosignals remarkably accelerated the growth of endothelial cells.

Interaction of thrombin with synthetic fluorescent substrate immobilized on polymer membrane

Synthetic fluorescent substrates for thrombin were immobilized on a polyurethane membrane. The interaction of thrombin with the immobilized substrates was investigated. Upon hydrolysis of immobilized substrates by thrombin, fluorescence was emitted, intensity increasing linearly with time. From a Lineweaver-Burk plot, kinetic parameters of the enzyme reaction on the membrane surface were determined. The dissociation constant (K) was increased and the catalytic constant (k) decreased markedly by immobilization. More reactive thrombin substrates in solution were also more reactive in the immobilized state. More thrombin was adsorbed and adsorbed thrombins were inactivated more strongly on the surface with more reactive substrates when immobilized. The immobilization of thrombin substrate markedly suppressed fibrin formation on the membrane surface and made the membrane non-thrombogenic.

Materials for enhancing cell adhesion by immobilization of cell-adhesive peptide

Materials to enhance cell adhesion were synthesized by surface integration of peptide, Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser(RGDS), which is an active-site sequence of cell-adhesive proteins. Polystyrene film was glow-discharged and graft-copolymerized with acrylic acid. Then the peptide was immobilized to the poly(acrylic acid) grafts by using water-soluble carbodiimide. The cell-adhesive activity of the RGDS-immobilized film increased with increasing amount of immobilized peptide, and approached the activity of fibronectin(FN)-immobilized film. The RGDS-immobilized film was more stable against heat treatment and pH variation than the FN-immobilized film. In addition, the RGDS-immobilized film enhanced cell growth more strongly than the FN-immobilized film.