title: Protein depositions on one hydrocephalus shunt and on fifteen temporary ventricular catheters.
abstract: Biomaterials are commonly used in modern medicine. Proteins are adsorbed to the surface of the biomaterial immediately after insertion. This report demonstrates the presence of adsorbed proteins in one infected cerebrospinal shunt from a child with hydrocephalus and on fifteen temporary ventricular catheters from adult patients with spontaneous or traumatic brain injuries. Depositions of vitronectin, fibrinogen and thrombospondin-fibronectin to some extent--on the shunt surface was imaged by field-emission scanning electron microscopy. Vitronectin, fibronectin, fibrinogen, and thrombospondin on the ventricular catheters were shown with radio-actively labelled antibodies. Furthermore, protein adsorption from human cerebrospinal fluid to heparinized and unheparinized polymers was studied under flowing conditions in vitro. On heparinized polymer, significantly reduced levels of vitronectin, fibronectin, and thrombospondin were exposed, as measured after 4 hours in vitro perfusion. After 24 hours perfusion, the differences in protein exposition between heparinized and unheparinized polymers were substantially reduced.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Lund University, Sweden.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lundberg
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Tegenfeldt
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Montelius
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ransjö
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Appelgren
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Siesjö
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ljungh
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D002557:Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008875:Middle Aged; D013499:Surface Properties; D019699:Thrombospondins / Q000032:analysis; D014696:Ventriculostomy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019096:Vitronectin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D005353:Fibronectins; D019699:Thrombospondins; D019096:Vitronectin; D005340:Fibrinogen