PEO-like plasma polymerized tetraglyme surface interactions with leukocytes and proteins: in vitro and in vivo studies

M. Shen, L. Martinson, M.S. Wagner, D.G. Castner, B.D. Ratner, T.A. Horbett

J Biomater Sci Polym Ed. 2002;13(4):367-90.

 

Polyethylene oxide (PEa) surfaces reduce non-specific protein and cell interactions with implanted biomaterials and may improve their biocompatibility.

PEO-like polymerized tetraglyme surfaces were made by glow discharge plasma deposition onto fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer (FEP) substrates and were shown to adsorb less than 10 ng/cm2 of fibrinogen in vitro.

The ability of the polymerized tetraglyme surfaces to resist leukocyte adhesion was studied in vitro and in vivo. Polymerized tetraglyme and FEP were implanted subcutaneously in mice and removed after 1 day or 4 weeks.

Histological analysis showed a similar degree of fibrous encapsulation around all of the 4-week implants. Darkly stained wells were present in the fibrous tissues at the tissue-material interface of both FEP and tetraglyme. Scanning electron micrographs showed that in vivo macrophage adhesion to polymerized tetraglyme was much higher than to FEP.