title: Hemocompatibility study of a bacterial cellulose/polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite.
abstract: Bacterial cellulose (BC) has been suggested to be a suitable biomaterial for the development of cardiovascular grafts. The combination of BC with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) results in nanocomposites with improved properties. Surprisingly, there are very few studies on the BC-blood interaction. This is the focus of this paper. We present the first thorough assessment of the hemocompatibility of the BC/PVA nanocomposite. Whole blood clotting time, plasma recalcification, Factor XII activation, platelet adhesion and activation, hemolytic index and complement activation are all determined. The platelet activation profiles on BC and BC/PVA surfaces are comprehensively characterized. BC and BC/PVA outperformed ePTFE--used as a point of comparison--thus evidencing their suitability for cardiovascular applications.
authors.affiliation: CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, IBB - Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Department of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal. Electronic address: afleitao@deb.uminho.pt.
authors.forename: Alexandre F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Leitão
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials - CIC biomaGUNE, Paseo Miramón 182, 20009 San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, Leioa 48940, Spain. Electronic address: sgupta@cicbiomagune.es.
authors.forename: Swati
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, IBB - Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Department of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal. Electronic address: jpsilva@deb.uminho.pt.
authors.forename: João Pedro
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials - CIC biomaGUNE, Paseo Miramón 182, 20009 San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Spain; Bilbao International School of Engineering, University of the Basque Country, Alameda Urquijo S-N, Bilbao 48013, Spain. Electronic address: ireviakine@cicbiomagune.es.
authors.forename: Ilya
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Reviakine
authors.affiliation: CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, IBB - Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Department of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal. Electronic address: fmgama@deb.uminho.pt.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gama
mesh_terms: D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002482:Cellulose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005174:Factor XII / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005453:Fluorescence; D041821:Gluconacetobacter / Q000737:chemistry; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008863:Microspheres; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*; D010973:Platelet Adhesiveness / Q000187:drug effects; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005174:Factor XII; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol; D002482:Cellulose; D003165:Complement System Proteins
keywords: Bacterial cellulose; Biocompatibility; Biomaterials; Hemocompatibility; Platelets; Polyvinyl alcohol