This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of thin film hyaluronic acid and dextran surface coatings to blunt cellular activation in a laboratory model of extracorporeal blood circulation. The inner lumen surface of polyurethane (PU) and poly(vinyl) chloride (PVC) tubing was grafted with hyaluronic acid and dextran. Surfaces were characterized for the presence of the grafted layer using ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Persistence of the surface layer was maintained for up to 5 days of continuous exposure to shear flow using a Chandler loop apparatus. The Chandler loop method was used to study human whole blood activation activity. Whole blood aggregometry and flow cytometry measures of CD18, CD62L, CD62P, Annexin V and myeloperoxidase performed on blood samples exposed to the tubing for up to three hours were complemented by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of adherent cells and state of activation. In these studies commercial hospital products and uncoated PVC and PU tubes were used as controls. We found that hyaluranized PU and PVC conferred the greatest resistance to blood activation and that dextranization of the PU and PU tubing also provided significant diminution of the bioresponses measured. Based on our findings, we suggest that surface coating with hyaluronic acid or dextran acts as a potent shield from blood cellular activation during forms of extracorporeal circulation.
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