Multifunctional polyampholyte hydrogels with fouling resistance and protein conjugation capacity.
Materials that are resistant to nonspecific protein adsorption are critical in the biomedical community. Specifically, nonfouling implantable biomaterials are necessary to reduce the undesirable, but natural foreign body response. The focus of this investigation is to demonstrate that polyampholyte hydrogels prepared with equimolar quantities of positively charged [2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl] trimethylammonium chloride (TMA) and negatively charged 2-carboxyethyl acrylate (CAA) monomers are a viable solution to this problem. TMA/CAA hydrogels were prepared and their physical and chemical properties were characterized. The fouling resistance of the TMA/CAA hydrogels were assessed at varying cross-linker densities using enzyme-linked immunosorbant assays (ELISAs). The results clearly demonstrate that TMA/CAA hydrogels are resistant to nonspecific protein adsorption. A unique advantage of the fouling resistant TMA/CAA system is that bioactive proteins can be covalently attached to these materials using standard conjugation chemistry. This was demonstrated in this study through a combination of ELISA investigations and short-term cell adhesion assays. The multifunctional properties of the TMA/CAA polyampholyte hydrogels shown in this work clearly demonstrate the potential for these materials for use as tissue regeneration scaffolds for many biomedical applications.
Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States.
Megan E
ME
Schroeder
Kevin M
KM
Zurick
Daniel E
DE
McGrath
Matthew T
MT
Bernards
D016475:3T3 Cells; D000179:Acrylates / Q000737:chemistry*; D000327:Adsorption; D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000737:chemistry; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D055767:Immobilized Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
D000179:Acrylates; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D020100:Hydrogels; D055767:Immobilized Proteins; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; C020946:triethylene glycol dimethacrylate; C056360:3-acryloyloxypropionic acid; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D005340:Fibrinogen