Preadsorption of polymers on glass and silica to reduce fibrinogen adsorption.

Glass and silica beads were precoated with various polymers to obtain steric exclusion chromatography (SEC) supports which are nonadsorbant for hydrophilic macromolecules. The efficiency of this treatment was estimated by subsequent radiolabeled fibrinogen adsorption. The result obtained with a block copolymer was better than with various hydrophilic homopolymers. This ABA type block copolymer, where A is a poly(N-acetylethyleneimine) (PAEI) sequence and B a polyethylene oxide (PEO) sequence was preadsorbed at pH 4.5 and 25 degrees C; the fibrinogen adsorption was reduced to less than 5% of the value observed on untreated solid surfaces. Thus the hemocompatibility of solid supports should be increased by precoating with this block copolymer. Results for nonporous glass beads and porous silica particles were in good correlation.

Synthesis and adsorption of a poly(N-acetylethyleneimine)-polyethyleneoxide-poly (N-acetylethyleneimine) triblock-copolymer at a silica/solution interface. Influence of its preadsorption on platelet adhesion and fibrinogen adsorption.

The synthesis of a triblock copolymer poly-(N-acetylethyleneimine)-polyethylenoxide-poly(N-acet ylethyleneimine) includes two successive steps: the first is the functionalization of a poly(ethyleneglycol) precursor by creating sulfonic esters at its chain ends, the second uses these esters to initiate the cationic polymerization of 2-methyl-2-oxazoline. Homopolymers appear in the raw product; hence successive selective extractions of the copolymer with benzene and dioxane are necessary. The final yield in pure copolymer was 11%. The copolymer was characterized by UV and 1H-NMR spectrometry and light scattering. Adsorption isotherms were determined on silica, for varying pH and salt concentration. Optimum conditions for coating silica with the polymer were determined. The efficiency of this precoating to reduce the adsorption of fibrinogen was very high (99.2% reduction with respect to bare silica). Steric exclusion chromatography of a variety of proteins gave a satisfactory calibration curve. Platelet accumulation on copolymer precoated glass was reduced to 10-20% of its value on bare glass, a result superior to that obtained by albumin passivation of the same glass surface.