Surface plasma modification and tropoelastin coating of a polyurethane co-polymer for enhanced cell attachment and reduced thrombogenicity

Daniel V Bax; Alexey Kondyurin; Anna Waterhouse; David R McKenzie; Anthony S Weiss; Marcela M M Bilek

doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2014.04.082

Surface plasma modification and tropoelastin coating of a polyurethane co-polymer for enhanced cell attachment and reduced thrombogenicity

Biomaterials. 2014 Aug;35(25):6797-809. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2014.04.082. Epub 2014 May 22.

Authors

Daniel V Bax¹, Alexey Kondyurin², Anna Waterhouse³, David R McKenzie², Anthony S Weiss⁴, Marcela M M Bilek²

Affiliations

¹ Applied and Plasma Physics, School of Physics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; School of Molecular Bioscience, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. Electronic address: dbax@physics.usyd.edu.au.
² Applied and Plasma Physics, School of Physics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
³ Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
⁴ School of Molecular Bioscience, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.

PMID: 24856106
DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2014.04.082

Abstract

Polymers currently utilized for dermal and vascular applications possess sub-optimal biocompatibility which reduces their efficacy. Improving the cell-binding and blood-contacting properties of these polymers would substantially improve their clinical utility. Tropoelastin is a highly extensible extracellular matrix protein with beneficial cell interactive and low thrombogenic properties. We transferred these benefits to the polyurethane block copolymer Elast-Eon E2A through a specific combination of surface plasma modifications and coating with human tropoelastin. The cell-binding activity of bound tropoelastin was modulated by ion implantation of the underlying polymer, and correlated with surface hydrophobicity, carbon and oxygen content. This combined treatment enhanced human dermal fibroblast (HDF) and human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) attachment, cytoskeletal assembly and viability, combined with elevated PECAM-1 staining of HUVEC cell junctions. The thrombogenicity of the polymer was ameliorated by tropoelastin coating. We propose that a combination of metered plasma treatment and tropoelastin coating of Elast-Eon can serve to improve the biological performance of implantable devices such as vascular conduits.

Keywords: Block copolymer; Elast-Eon; Ion implantation; PDMS; Plasma immersion ion implantation; Polyurethane.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cell Adhesion / drug effects
Cell Survival / drug effects
Cell-Matrix Junctions / drug effects*
Cell-Matrix Junctions / metabolism
Cells, Cultured
Coated Materials, Biocompatible / chemistry*
Cytoskeleton / drug effects
Cytoskeleton / metabolism
Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy
Fibroblasts / cytology
Fibroblasts / drug effects
Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / drug effects
Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / metabolism
Humans
Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
Materials Testing
Microscopy, Confocal
Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / metabolism
Polyurethanes / chemistry*
Protein Binding
Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
Surface Properties
Tropoelastin / chemistry*
Tropoelastin / pharmacology

Substances

Coated Materials, Biocompatible
Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1
Polyurethanes
Tropoelastin