In-vitro hemocompatibility evaluation of a thermoplastic polyurethane membrane with surface-immobilized water-soluble chitosan and heparin

The surface of a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) membrane was treated with low temperature plasma (LTP) and was then grafted with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), followed by the grafting of water-soluble chitosan (WSC) and heparin (HEP). The surface was characterized with static contact-angle and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that the surface densities of peroxides and PAA reached a maximum when treated with LTP for 90 s. A higher pH of the reacting solution led to higher graft densities of WSC and HEP. After WSC and HEP grafting, the hydrophilicity of the TPU membrane was increased. The adsorption of proteins on HEP-grafted TPU membranes was effectively curtailed. In addition, HEP grafting also reduced platelet adhesion, elevated thrombin inactivation, and prolonged the blood coagulation time. According to the L929 fibroblast cell growth inhibition index, the HEP-grafted TPU membranes exhibited non-cytotoxicity. Overall results demonstrated that the HEP immobilization could not only improve the hydrophilicity but also the hemocompatibility of the TPU membrane, while maintaining the ascendant biocompatibility.     

Covalent heparin modification of a polysulfone flat sheet membrane for selective removal of low-density lipoproteins: a simple and versatile method

A simple, convenient and economical method for the heparinization of PSf membranes is described, with the aim of preparing an LDL adsorber for simultaneous LDL apheresis and hemodialysis. An atmospheric pressure glow discharge generator is used to activate the PSf membrane surface, with subsequent chemical binding of heparin in the presence of EDC and NHS. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and XPS measurements confirm successful surface modification. The PSf-Hep membrane shows good blood compatibility, with a relatively low amount and normal morphology of adherent platelets. ELISA results indicate that the PSf-Hep membrane exhibits excellent selective affinity for LDL in single and binary protein solutions, suggesting potential applications in hemodialysis with simultaneous LDL removal.     

Fabrication of chitosan microcapsules via layer-by-layer assembly for loading and in vitro release of heparin

The heparin-loaded microcapsules were successfully prepared by layer-by-layer deposition of chitosan (CHI) and heparin (Hep). Film growth was confirmed by the reversal of ζ-potentials during polysaccharide deposition. Both scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscope evidenced the integrity of (CHI/Hep)₅ capsules after the removal of cores. By assembling the carriers with chitosan that are inherently degradable, the capsules were engineered to degrade specifically in the presence of lysozyme. It was demonstrated that the loaded heparin was released from the capsules over a long period of time when being incubated in lysozyme solution. With these results, such CHI/Hep capsules may have a great potential as controlled release carrier for heparin.     

Biomimetic modification of chitosan with covalently grafted lactose and blended heparin for improvement of in vitro cellular interaction

Lactose‐ and heparin‐modified chitosan films were prepared and their physical and biological properties were compared with chitosan, chitosan‐g‐heparin, and chitosan‐g‐lactose films. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurement showed that all these films in the dry state were rather flat with a roughness smaller than 20 nm. While the chitosan‐g‐lactose/heparin and chitosan‐g‐lactose films have the highest swelling and weight loss ratios, the chitosan and chitosan‐g‐heparin films have the lowest. The chitosan‐g‐lactose/heparin film showed stronger ability to induce chondrocyte attachment, proliferation, viability, and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) secretion than that of the chitosan, chitosan‐g‐heparin, and chitosan‐g‐lactose films. Chondrocyte aggregates and nodules were observed on the chitosan‐g‐lactose/heparin and chitosan‐g‐lactose films, which still preserved viable metabolic ability. These results show that the lactose‐modified and heparin‐incorporated chitosan film can enhance the cell–biomaterial interaction synchronously. The resulting chitosan‐g‐lactose/heparin material is more bioactive that might be applicable as promising scaffold for chondrogenesis. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

负载壳聚糖吸附剂的研制及吸附性能

以壳聚糖(CS)为原料,对不同温度活化的高岭土(KLN)作表面改性,制备了一系列高岭土负载壳聚糖微粒。通过对壳聚糖包覆率的测定确定了高岭土活化温度在800℃时其负载率最佳。IR分析发现壳聚糖对高岭土的改性是以高岭土中的骨架铝与壳聚糖产生化学键合完成的。Cu2 吸附实验表明,改性后的高岭土(CS-KLN)饱和吸附量达到158.3mg/g,优于仅用酸活化的高岭土,且吸附的pH范围为4~6,比高岭土宽,其最佳吸附pH=5.2。     

Protein adsorption and cell adhesion on RGD-functionalized silicon substrate surfaces

A method was developed to modify silicon surfaces with good protein resistance and specific cell attachment. A silicon surface was initially deposited using a block copolymer of N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) (PVP-b-PHEMA) film through surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization and then further immobilized using a short arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) peptide. Our results demonstrate that the RGD-modified surfaces (Si-RGD) can suppress non-specific adsorption of proteins and induce the adhesion of L929 cells. The Si-RGD surface exhibited higher cell proliferation rates than the unmodified silicon surface. This research established a simple method for the fabrication of dual-functional silicon surface that combines antifouling and cell attachment promotion.     

The effect of surface microtopography of poly(dimethylsiloxane) on protein adsorption, platelet and cell adhesion

Chemical homogeneous poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) surface with dot-like protrusion pattern was used to investigate the individual effect of surface microtopography on protein adsorption and subsequent biological responses. Fibrinogen (Fg) and fibronectin (Fn) were chosen as model proteins due to their effect on platelet and cell adhesion, respectively. Fg labeled with ¹²⁵I and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) was used to study its adsorption on flat and patterned surfaces. Patterned surface has a 46% increase in the adsorption of Fg when compared with flat surface. However, the surface area of the patterned surface was only 8% larger than that of the flat surface. Therefore, the increase in the surface area was not the only factor responsible for the increase in protein adsorption. Clear fluorescent pattern was visualized on patterned surface, indicating that adsorbed Fg regularly distributed and adsorbed most on the flanks and valleys of the protrusions. Such distribution and local enrichment of Fg presumably caused the specific location of platelets adhered from platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and flowing whole blood (FWB) on patterned surface. Furthermore, the different combination of surface topography and pre-adsorbed Fn could influence the adhesion of L929 cells. The flat surface with pre-adsorbed Fn was the optimum substrate while the virgin patterned surface was the poor substrate in terms of L929 cells spread.     

交联黄原酸壳聚糖对铅离子的吸附研究

以壳聚糖为原料,通过交联和黄原酸化反应制备出交联黄原酸壳聚糖,采用FT-IR和XRD表征了其结构,并探讨壳聚糖及交联黄原酸壳聚糖对Pb2+的吸附性能。研究了初始溶液pH值、温度以及吸附时间等因素对Pb2+吸附量的影响。结果表明,在Pb2+起始浓度0.01 M,起始溶液pH=5,室温25℃吸附2h条件下,壳聚糖和交联黄原酸壳聚糖对铅离子的吸附量分别为126.8 mg/g和238.9 mg/g,交联黄原酸壳聚糖吸附能力为壳聚糖的1.89倍。     

Albumin adsorption on unmodified and sulfonated polystyrene surfaces, in relation to cell-substratum adhesion

Albumin is commonly applied for blocking the adsorption of other proteins and to prevent the nonspecific adhesion of cells to diverse artificial substrata. Here we address the question of how effective these albumin properties are--by investigating unmodified and sulfonated polystyrene substrata with distinctly different wettabilities. As clearly shown with (125)I-radioisotopic assays, above a concentration of 10-20 μg/mL, the efficiency of bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorption became markedly higher on the sulfonated surface than on the unmodified one. This study was assisted with the atomic force microscopy. On the unmodified surface, BSA, adsorbed from sufficiently concentrated solutions, formed a monolayer, with occasional intrusions of multilayered patches. Conversely, the arrangement of BSA on the sulfonated surface was chaotic; the height of individual molecules was lower than on the unmodified polystyrene. Importantly, the adhesion study of LNCaP and DU145 cells indicated that both surfaces, subjected to the prior BSA adsorption, did not completely loose their cell-adhesive properties. However, the level of adhesion and the pattern of F-actin organization in adhering cells have shown that cells interacted with unmodified and sulfonated surfaces differently, depending on the arrangement of adsorbed albumin. These results suggest the presence of some bare substratum area accessible for cells after the albumin adsorption to both types of investigated surfaces.     

In vitro evaluation of cellulose acetate hemodialyzer immobilized with heparin

In this study, heparin was immobilized onto cellulose acetate hollow fibers to improve the anticoagulation performance during hemodialysis. In vitro evaluation was carried out using mini‐hemodialyzer circulating with fresh porcine whole blood to simulate kidney therapy. The dialysis performance and hemocompatibility were estimated. The results showed that heparinized hemodialyzer could be used through out the whole dialysis time (4 hr) without injecting additional heparin to prevent coagulation in the dialysis system. In addition, the hemocompatibility was evaluated by measuring activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), and fibrinogen time (FT). The complete blood count (CBC) including red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin (Hgb), hematocrit (Hct), white blood cell (WBC), and platelet were determined. The results showed that heparinization could keep the CBC stable during dialysis, whereas unmodified cellulose acetate hemodialyzer would cause a decrease in RBC unless heparin was injected during dialysis. Heparinized hemodialyzer showed longer APTT, PT, and FT than unmodified hemodialyzer. Heparinized hemodialyzer also showed slightly higher clearance than unmodified hemodialyzer. These results indicated that the dialysis performance and hemocompatibility of cellulose acetate hemodialyzer could be improved by the immobilization of heparin. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Photochemically prepared polysulfone/poly(ethylene glycol) amphiphilic networks and their biomolecule adsorption properties

Polysulfone/poly(ethylene glycol) amphiphilic networks were prepared via in situ photo-induced free radical crosslinking polymerization. First, the hydrophobic polysulfone diacrylate (PSU-DA) oligomer was synthesized by condensation polymerization and subsequent esterification processes. Then, the obtained oligomer was co-crosslinked with the hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEG-DA) or poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate (PEG-MA) at different feed ratios. In the case of PEG-MA, the resulting network possessed dangling pendant hydrophilic chains on the crosslinked surface. The structure and the morphology of the membranes were characterized by attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The enhancement of surface hydrophilicity was investigated by water contact angle measurements. The biomolecule adsorption properties of these networks were also studied. The biomolecules easily adsorbed on the surface of the hydrophobic polysulfone networks whereas dangling hydrophilic chains on the surface prevented the adsorption of the biomolecules.     

Preparation and characterization of N,O-carboxymethyl chitosan (NOCC)/polysulfone (PS) composite nanofiltration membranes

N,O-carboxymethyl chitosan (NOCC) composite nanofiltration membranes having a polysulfone (PS) UF membrane as the substrate were prepared using a method of coating and cross-linking, in which a glutaraldehyde (GA) aqueous solution was used as the cross-linking agent. Attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR) was employed to characterize the resulting membrane. The effects of the composition of the casting solution of the active layer, the concentration of the cross-linking agent, and the membrane preparation techniques on the performance of the composite membrane were investigated. At 13–15 °C and 0.40 MPa the rejections of the resulting membrane to Na₂SO₄ and NaCl solutions (1000 mg L⁻¹) were 92.7 and 30.2%, respectively, and the permeate fluxes were 3.0 and 5.1 kg m⁻² h⁻¹, respectively. The rejection of this kind of membrane to the electrolyte solutions decreased in the order of Na₂SO₄, NaCl, MgSO₄, and MgCl₂. This suggests that the membrane active layer acquires a negative surface charge distribution by the adsorption of anions from the electrolyte solution and this charge distribution mainly determines the membrane performance.     

Dye-ligand immobilized IPNs membrane for removal heavy metal ions

We have developed a novel approach to obtain high metal sorption capacity utilizing a membrane containing chitosan and an immobilized reactive dye (i.e. Reactive Yellow-2). The composite membrane was characterized by SEM, FT-IR, swelling test, and elemental analysis. The membrane has uniform small pores distribution and the pore dimensions are between 5 and 10 μm, and the HEMA:chitosan ratio was 50:1. The reactive dye immobilized composite membrane was used in the removal of heavy metal ions [i.e., Pb(II), Hg(II) and Cd(II)] from aqueous medium containing different amounts of these ions (5-600 mg l⁻¹) and at different pH values (2.0-7.0). The maximum adsorption capacities of heavy metal ions onto the composite membrane under non-competitive conditions were 64.3 mmol m⁻² for Pb(II), 52.7 mmol m⁻² for Hg(II), 39.6 mmol m⁻² for Cd(II) and the affinity order was Pb(II) > Hg(II)>Cd(II).     

Stainless steel modified with poly(ethylene glycol) can prevent protein adsorption but not bacterial adhesion

The surface of AISI 316 grade stainless steel (SS) was modified with a layer of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) (molecular weight 5000) with the aim of preventing protein adsorption and bacterial adhesion. Model SS substrates were first modified to introduce a very high density of reactive amine groups by the adsorption of branched poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) from water. Methoxy-terminated aldehyde-poly(ethylene glycol) (M-PEG-CHO) was then grafted onto the PEI layers using reductive amination at the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the PEG in order to optimize the graft density of the linear PEG chains. The chemical composition and uniformity of the surfaces were determined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight static secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SSIMS) in the imaging mode. The effects of PEI concentration and different substrate pre-cleaning methods on the structure and stability of the final PEG layer was examined. Piranha solution proved to be the most effective method for removing adventitious hydrocarbon contamination, compared to cleaning with ultrasonication in organic solvents, and was the SS substrate that produced the most stable and thickest PEI layer. The surface density of PEI was shown to increase with increasing PEI concentration (up to 30 mg/ml), as determined from XPS measurements, and subsequently produced the PEG layer with the highest density of attached chains. In model experiments using β-lactoglobulin no protein adsorption was detected on the optimized PEG surface as determined by XPS and ToF-SSIMS analysis. However, neither the adhesion of a Gram-negative (Pseudomonas sp.) nor a Gram-positive (Listeria monocytogenes) bacterium was affected by the coating as equal numbers adhered to all surfaces tested. Our results show that preventing protein adsorption is not a prerequisite stopping bacterial adhesion, and that other mechanisms most likely play a role.     

The reduction of oxidative stress,anticoagulation of platelets,and inhibition of lipopolysaccharide by conjugated linoleic acid bonded on a polysulfone membrane

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) was covalently bonded onto the surface of a polysulfone (PSF) membrane via esterification. The surface was characterized with contact angle measurement and FT‐IR spectrometery. The capability of bonded CLA on the suppression of oxidative stress was evaluated. The level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured by the chemiluminescence (CL) method to evaluate the oxidative stress. Furthermore, the removal of bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) by CLA‐bonding PSF was measured with enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The reduction in the platelet adhesion on the PSF surface was evaluated using a SF‐3000 automated hematology analyzer. The result indicates that CLA‐bonding PSF can reduce the adhesion of platelets by 73%. The concentration of LPS can be reduced by CLA‐bonding PSF 1.6 times more than unmodified PSF membrane. In addition, the level of ROS against CLA‐bonding PSF membrane was 23% of that against unmodified PSF membrane. Therefore CLA‐bonding PSF membrane could offer protection for patients against oxidative stress and could also inhibit LPS for clinical applications. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Study on the preparation and adsorption thermodynamics of chitosan microsphere resins

The aim of this research is to study the thermodynamic behavior of resins of chitosan microspheres (RCM) in adsorbing Cu²⁺, so that the theoretical basis of the application of RCM to eliminate metal ions in wastewater or fruit and vegetable juice can be obtained. First, RCM were prepared from chitosan as a raw material by using reverse phase suspension cross-linking polymerization, and some physicochemical properties of RCM were characterized. Second, the adsorption behavior of Cu²⁺ onto RCM was investigated by the batch method. The results show that the diameter of the microspheres was relatively uniform and the surface of microspheres was compacted with pores. The physical properties of the RCM were as follows: water content 51.982%, skeletal density 1.212 g · cm⁻³, pileup density 0.862 g·L⁻¹, porosity was in 0.554 and crosslinking degree was in 13.581%. The saturated adsorption capacity of RCM for Cu²⁺ was 0.993 mmol·g⁻¹. At the same time, the results also indicated that the adsorption of RCM for Cu²⁺ followed the Langmuir isotherm equation: C _e/Q = 11.614 + 1.0075C _e at 313 K and the adsorption appeared to be of the monomolecular type. The adsorption was found through thermodynamic study to be a spontaneous endothermic process of increased entropy. The adsorption potential decreased gradually as Cu²⁺ concentration increased at the same temperature and it increased as temperature increased at the same initial concentration of Cu²⁺. __________ Translated from Periodical of Ocean University of China, 2008, 38(1) (in Chinese)     

O-羧甲基壳聚糖纳米微粒制备及对Ni~(2+)吸附研究

将壳聚糖与氯乙酸反应,通过控制反应条件制备了取代度为0.71的O-羧甲基壳聚糖,将改性后的O-羧甲基壳聚糖与多聚磷酸钠反应,制备了粒径分布在370-710nm的O-羧甲基壳聚糖纳米微粒,透射电镜观察表明该微粒呈球状,平均粒径为450nm.在此基础上研究了O-羧甲基壳聚糖纳米微粒对工业电镀镍废水Ni~(2+)吸附性能,考察了溶液pH、Ni~(2+)起始浓度、平衡吸附时间、粒径等因素的影响,结果表明:O-羧甲基壳聚糖微粒最佳吸附条件是Ni~(2+)溶液pH为8.0、Ni~(2+)溶液起始浓度为33.28mg/ml、平衡吸附时间为0.5h、粒径较小的O-羧甲基壳聚糖纳米微粒对Ni~(2+)的吸附量要大于粒径较大的吸附量.     

Axisymmetric peel test for adhesion measurement of polymer coatings

A novel axisymmetric peel test for measuring the adherence of coatings has been developed. The method utilizes a thin elastomeric membrane as a support for an uncured coating. Application of a pressure differential across this membrane brings the coating into contact with the substrate of interest, allowing it to cure while in contact with the substrate. The peel energy of the fully cured coating is determined by the measured peel force and by the geometry at the peeling front. Use of the test is illustrated with a model glassy polyurethane coating on an aluminum substrate. We show that the test is ideally suited for testing the effects of substrate preparation and cure conditions on the resultant coating adhesion. The upper limit on the adhesion strength that we were able to measure was about 50 J/m², a limit that is determined by the tensile strength of the coating. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2012     

Dielectric study on membrane adsorption and release: Relaxation mechanism and diffusion dynamics

Dielectric monitoring of the adsorption or release process of salicylic acid (SA) by chitosan membrane shows that the dielectric spectra of the chitosan membrane/ SA solution systems change regularly in the adsorption or release process. By analyzing the regularity, a new mechanism for the relaxations is proposed. The concentration polarization layer (CPL) caused by SA adsorption or release is confirmed to be essential for the dielectric relaxations. The changes of the spectra with time are explained by account of the relationship between CPL properties and dielectric strength. Based on this relaxation mechanism, a theoretical method can be established to calculate dynamical parameters of inner structure of the adsorption or release systems from their dielectric spectra. Therefore, dielectric spec- troscopy is demonstrated to be a promising method for estimating interfacial distribution of ionic sub- stances and their binding to membrane in a non-invasive way.