title: Small changes in the polymer structure influence the adsorption behavior of fibrinogen on polymer surfaces: validation of a new rapid screening technique.
abstract: Numerous studies conclude that the selective adsorption of plasma proteins on materials contacting blood or tissue affects all subsequent interactions related to the biocompatibility of artificial surfaces. However, there are only a few studies available, which clearly demonstrate that there is a correlation between surface chemistry and selective protein adsorption. Detailed knowledge of such correlations would facilitate the design of biocompatible materials. In this study, a rapid, fluorescence-based, screening technique using a 384-well format for polymer-protein interactions was developed. The screening assay was used to measure the adsorption of human fibrinogen on 46 test polymers (44 polyarylates selected from a combinatorial library of tyrosine-derived polyarylates, and two lactide-based polymers). In this library of polyarylates, structural changes are generated by variations in either the polymer backbone or the polymer pendent chain. Although no overall trend between polymer hydrophobicity and fibrinogen adsorption could be identified using the entire set of test polymers (R(2) = 0.43), fibrinogen adsorption was clearly correlated with variations in the pendent chain structure. Thus, when the test polymers were grouped by backbone composition, increased hydrophobicity of the pendent chain was significantly correlated with reduced fibrinogen adsorption. The following R(2) coefficients within the polymer backbone groups were determined: 0.87 (diglycolates); 0.98 (glutarates); 0.73 (adipates); 0.87 (suberates); 0.67 (3-methyl-adipates). Our results demonstrate that it is possible to screen for protein-material interactions in a cost-effective fashion using a miniaturized immunofluorescence technique. Further, we demonstrate that small changes in chemical composition can significantly influence the adsorption of human fibrinogen on polymer surfaces. The lactide-based polymers were among those polymers exhibiting the highest tendency to adsorb fibrinogen. This information may be useful when polymers have to be selected for specific biomaterial applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, 610 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA.
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Durgadas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bolikal
authors.forename: Sharon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Bourke
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kohn
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption / Q000187:drug effects; D001331:Automation; D020650:Combinatorial Chemistry Techniques; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008904:Miniaturization; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D005340:Fibrinogen