Examination of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells seeded onto poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) biological materials for myocardial patch

The implantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into the heart has been reported to be effective for myocardial infarction; however, it is unknown what methods are most suitable for supporting stem cell growth in a myocardial patch. This study used a new polymer material composed of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB-co-4HB)] co-cultured with BMSCs to create a myocardial patch. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were obtained from healthy male BSL-C57 mice. The cells were treated with 5-azacytidine to investigate their differentiation into cardiomyocytes. The cells were seeded for 24-hours onto P(3HB-co-4HB) biological material films (n?=?8). Cell-biomaterial constructs were fixed and analyzed using different methods. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were CD34, CD45^??, CD90⁺ (low), and CD73⁺. The cells were stained with anti-cardiac troponin T (anti-cTnT) and anti-connexin 43 (anti-CX43) antibodies after 5-azacytidine treatment. Scanning electron microscopy showed that BMSC morphology was normal, and cell numbers were more abundant on the P(3HB-co-4HB) material surfaces. The growth curve of BMSCs on the biomaterial patches showed that the P(3HB-co-4HB) material permitted good stem cell growth. Owing to its excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability properties, in particular its porosity, P(3HB-co-4HB) is highlighted as an optimal material to support myocardial cell growth and myocardial patch formation in patients with myocardial infarction.     

胚胎干细胞与聚3-羟基丁酸酯-co-4-羟基丁酸酯共培养细胞补片的初步研究

目的干细胞移植是具有治疗心血管疾病潜力的有效方法,但是细胞移植过程中缺乏有效的载体会大大影响其成活和增殖。聚3-羟基丁酸酯-co-4-羟基丁酸酯P(3HB-co-4HB)是一种能够完全降解的,具有良好物理特性的高分子材料。探讨P(3HB-co-4HB)这种三维材料是否适合胚胎干细胞在上面生长,并生成细胞补片。方法复苏小鼠胚胎干细胞,传代培养,消化离心后重悬细胞,用悬滴法形成拟胚体(embryid bodies,EB),将拟胚体与P(3HB-co-4HB)膜共培养;72 h共培养后固定并进行扫描电镜和共聚焦显微镜观察细胞黏附情况,DAPI荧光染色观察细胞在P(3HB-co-4HB)膜上形态。结果胚胎干细胞在培养皿中贴壁生长良好,形态正常;拟胚体同P(3HB-co-4HB)膜共培养72 h后,所有拟胚体都在三维材料表面良好生长,爬膜率为100%;Confocal显微镜和扫描电镜观察到在2 mm的三维膜上,拟胚体生长贴附在生物膜上,细胞形态正常。结论 ESC在P(3HB-co-4HB)表面生长、增殖形成细胞补片。P(3HB-co-4HB)可作为干细胞治疗多种疾病的支架材料之一。     

Laser processing of polymer constructs from poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)

CO₂ laser radiation was used to process poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) constructs – films and 3D pressed plates. Laser processing increased the biocompatibility of unperforated films treated with moderate uniform radiation, as estimated by the number and degree of adhesion of NIH 3T3 mouse fibroblast cells. The biocompatibility of perforated films modified in the pulsed mode did not change significantly. At the same time, pulsed laser processing of the 3D plates produced perforated scaffolds with improved mechanical properties and high biocompatibility with bone marrow-derived multipotent, mesenchymal stem cells, which show great promise for bone regeneration.     

Immobilization of sodium alginate sulfates on polysulfone ultrafiltration membranes for selective adsorption of low-density lipoprotein

A novel method for the immobilization of sodium alginate sulfates (SAS) on polysulfone (PSu) ultrafiltration membranes to achieve selective adsorption of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was developed, which involved the photoinduced graft polymerization of acrylamide on the membrane and the Hofmann rearrangement reaction of grafted acrylamide followed by chemical binding of SAS with glutaraldehyde. The surface modification processes were confirmed by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterization. Zeta potential and water contact angle measurements were performed to investigate the surface charge and wettability of the membranes. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the binding of LDL on plain and modified PSu membranes. It was found that the PSu membrane immobilized with sodium alginate sulfates (PSu-SAS) greatly enhanced the selective adsorption of LDL from protein solutions and the absorbed LDL could be easily eluted with sodium chloride solution, indicating a specific and reversible binding of LDL to SAS, mainly driven by electrostatic forces. Furthermore, the PSu-SAS membrane showed good blood compatibility as examined by platelet adhesion. The results suggest that the PSu-SAS membranes are promising for application in simultaneous hemodialysis and LDL apheresis therapy.     

Mono-methoxy-poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate)-graft-hyper-branched polyethylenimine copolymers for siRNA delivery

A class of non-viral siRNA vectors consisting of biodegradable poly(hydroxyalkanoates) (PHA) grafted onto branched poly(ethyleneimine) (bPEI, 25 kDa) was synthesized and evaluated for siRNA delivery. The mPHA-g-bPEI copolymers were synthesized through Michael addition between acrylated mono-methoxy-poly(hydroxyalkanoates) (mPHA-acrylated) and bPEI with various block length poly(hydroxyalkanoates) from 1300 to 2900 Da. Our research showed that mPHA-g-bPEI copolymers could effectively bind siRNA, protect it from degradation by nucleases and efficiently release the complexed siRNA in the presence of low concentrations of polyanionic heparin. The particle size of mPHA-g-bPEI/siRNA complexes was <200 nm with ζ-potential between 33 and 43 mV. mPHA-g-bPEI copolymers displayed low cytotoxicity compared to unmodified bPEI and efficient cellular uptake of Cy3-siRNA in A549 cells by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. siRNA delivery efficiency of the copolymers was assessed by siRNA against luciferase in cultured A549-Luc and MCF-7-Luc cells. Those mPHA-g-bPEI copolymers revealed a higher transfection efficiency and lower cytotoxicity than bPEI in two cell lines. Furthermore, a remarkable knockdown of luciferase expression of mPHA-g-bPEI (mAP2) complex (up to 85%) in vitro was found to be equivalent to that of commercially available transfection agent Lipofectamine™ 2000.     

Physical Properties and Biocompatibility of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) Blended with Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate)

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx) was blended with poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB4HB) to improve physical properties and biocompatibility of PHBHHx for a wide range of biomedical applications. PHBHHx was completely miscible with P3HB4HB in their blends. All the PHBHHx/P3HB4HB blends showed improved physical properties compared with PHBHHx, including higher thermal stability, flexibility and mechanical strength. All the blends had more hydrophilic surface, higher polar component and rougher surface than PHBHHx. The PHBHHx/P3HB4HB blend in 4:2 weight ratio showed the roughest surface and also had the highest chondrocyte viability among all the blends and the polymers tested, which was 59% higher than that on PHBHHx and 32% higher than that on P3HB4HB. The blend with 4:2 weight ratio also had the maximum cartilage-specific collagen II mRNA expression among all the blends and the polymers tested, which was 9-times higher than that on PHBHHx and 8-times higher than that on P3HB4HB. These results demonstrated that PHBHHx had improved physical properties and biocompatibility after blending with P3HB4HB. The blends could be used for cartilage tissue engineering.     

低氧微环境对P(3HB-co-4HB)与小鼠骨髓间充质干细胞共培养形成心肌补片影响的实验研究

目的探究低氧微环境对小鼠骨髓间充质干细胞(mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells,mMSCs)与聚3羟基丁酸酯-co-4羟基丁酸酯[3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate,P(3HB-co-4HB)]材料共培养形成心肌补片的影响,为细胞移植术治疗心肌梗死提供一种更有效的心肌补片。方法全骨髓培养法提取小鼠骨髓间充质干细胞(mMSCs),取5代mMSCs流式细胞术鉴定表面抗原。将P(3HB-co-4HB)与小鼠骨髓间充质干细胞共培养制作成细胞补片,随机分为常氧组和低氧组,每组各10个样本,0、12、24 h分别用CCK-8法测定细胞增殖情况;扫描电子显微镜(scanning electron microscope,SEM)观察补片存活、黏附、生长情况。加入诱导剂5-氮杂胞苷2周后,免疫荧光检测两组心肌肌钙蛋白T(cTnT)的表达情况。结果在共培养24 h后,CCK-8法测定低氧组OD值(0.349±0.038)显著大于常氧组(0.308±0.025)( n =10, P <0.05),扫描电子显微镜观察到低氧组P(3HB-co-4HB)材料上细胞数量更多,细胞与材料之间的黏附牢固,细胞形态正常。免疫荧光显示低氧组cTnT表达比常氧组更加显著。结论相对于常氧条件,低氧微环境可促进骨髓间充质干细胞在P(3HB-co-4HB)材料上的黏附、存活、增殖、分化,形成一种更有效的心肌补片。     

Immobilization of polyphosphoesters on poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) for facilitating mineral coating

Poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) is an alternative material to metals for orthopedic applications. However, the compatibility of PEEK with hard tissues needs to be improved. To address this issue, this study proposes a novel technique for PEEK surface modifications. A polyphosphodiester macromonomer (PEPMA·Na) was synthesized via the demethylation of polyphosphotriester macromonomer obtained via the ring-opening polymerization of cyclic phosphoesters using 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylamide as the initiator. The surface modification of PEEK was performed via photoinduced and self-initiated graft polymerization of PEPMA·Na without using any photoinitiators. The amount of phosphorus due to poly(PEPMA·Na) immobilized on PEEK increased with an increase in the photoirradiation time. The PEEK surface turned hydrophilic due to poly(PEPMA·Na) grafting, with almost similar advancing and receding contact angles, implying that the modified PEEK surface (PEEK-g-poly(PEPMA·Na)) was homogeneous. Specimens were mineral coated by simple static soaking in ×1.5 simulated body fluid (1.5SBF) and by an alternative process that included additional soaking steps in 200?mM CaCl₂ aq. and 200?mM K₂HPO₄ aq. before static soaking in 1.5SBF. Specimens were immersed in 1.5SBF for 28?days in simple static soaking, after which the PEEK-g-poly(PEPMA·Na) surface was completely covered with spherical cauliflower-like mineral deposits that resembled octacalcium phosphate (OCP). Their structural similarities were confirmed via X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses. However, these mineral deposits were not observed on the bare PEEK surface. Due to the additional soaking steps (alternative soaking) undertaken before the static soaking of the specimens in 1.5SBF, the mineral coating on the PEEK-g-poly(PEPMA·Na) was dramatically accelerated and the surface was fully covered with mineral deposits in only one day of soaking. The mineral deposits resulting from both the soaking processes had similar structures. Compared with bare PEEK, osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells proliferated more actively on mineral-coated PEEK-g-poly(PEPMA·Na). Thus, the surface immobilization of poly(PEPMA·Na) on a PEEK surface is effective for mineral coating and may be useful to provide hard-tissue compatibility on PEEK.     

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) induces cell death in neuroblastoma and survival autophagy in schwannoma cells

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) induces apoptosis or autophagy in dependence on the cell type. We here investigated the effect of oxLDL on the B104 neuroblastoma and RN22 schwannoma cells being popular in neuroscience research. Cells were cultivated with and without oxLDL. To generate oxLDL, we added 50 μg/ml nLDL and 50 μM CuSO₄ into the culture medium. After a 24-h-long treatment, oxLDL was detectable in media from both cell culture types and its concentration was approximately 16 μg/ml. In the oxLDL-treated B104 neuroblastoma cell cultures 75% cells died after the 24-h exposure. The intact cells showed impaired mitochondria at the ultrastructural level. Western blot analysis revealed the increased expression of AIF 57 kDa (AIF₅₇) protein, as a sign of caspase-independent cell death. In RN22 schwannoma cell cultures, oxLDL did not have any effect on cleaved caspase-3 and AIF₅₇ protein levels indicating absence of cell death. Treated RN22 schwannoma cells underwent survival autophagy by forming conspicuous autophagosomes and by processing LC3-I into LC3-II protein.Collectively, oxLDL induces AIF-dependent cell death in B104 neuroblastoma cells whereas in RN22 schwannoma cells enhanced signs of survival autophagy are noted.     

Detection of the Pro664-Leu mutation in the low-density lipoprotein receptor and its relation to lipoprotein(a) levels in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia of Dutch ancestry from The Netherlands and Canada

From a large cohort of hyperlipidemic patients, who attended the Lipid Research Clinic in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and in Vancouver, Canada, 915 consecutive patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) of Dutch descent, were selected. This group of FH patients was screened for the presence of a cytosine to thymidine nucleotide substitution in exon 14 of the LDL-receptor gene, in order to determine the frequency of this mutation in patients of Dutch descent and to investigate the relationship between the mutation and the level of lipoprotein(a). The mutation was detected in seven individuals. All patients with this mutation shared the same haplotype, which is suggestive of an ancient mutation. The index patients and a large kindred with this mutation were further analyzed at the biochemical and clinical level. Except for total and LDL-cholesterol, there was no statistically significant difference in biochemical parameters between family members with and without FH. In contrast to previous reports, there was no difference in plasma levels of lipoprotein(a) between patients with the mutation in exon 14 and unaffected individuals.     

Detection of the Pro664-Leu mutation in the low-density lipoprotein receptor and its relation to lipoprotein(a) levels in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia of Dutch ancestry from The Netherlands and Canada

From a large cohort of hyperlipidemic patients, who attended the Lipid Research Clinic in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and in Vancouver, Canada, 915 consecutive patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) of Dutch descent, were selected. This group of FH patients was screened for the presence of a cytosine to thymidine nucleotide substitution in exon 14 of the LDL-receptor gene, in order to determine the frequency of this mutation in patients of Dutch descent and to investigate the relationship between the mutation and the level of lipoprotein(a). The mutation was detected in seven individuals. All patients with this mutation shared the same haplotype, which is suggestive of an ancient mutation. The index patients and a large kindred with this mutation were further analyzed at the biochemical and clinical level. Except for total and LDL-cholesterol, there was no statistically significant difference in biochemical parameters between family members with and without FH. In contrast to previous reports, there was no difference in plasma levels of lipoprotein(a) between patients with the mutation in exon 14 and unaffected individuals.     

Platelet adhesion and cellular interaction with poly(ethylene oxide) immobilized onto silicone rubber membrane surfaces

Cellular interaction and platelet adsorption were investigated on poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) immobilized silicone rubber membrane (SR) which has polyacrylic acid grafts on the surfaces. Polyacrylic acid (PAA) had been introduced to the SR surface after Ar plasma treatment of SR surfaces to introduce peroxide groups. Surface characterizations were made using ATR-FTIR, ESCA, SEM, and contact angle measurements. Experimental results obtained by ESCA high resolution curve fitting spectra indicated that the amount of bisamino PEO of different molecular weights immobilized onto SR surfaces were similar, which showed that the influence of the length of molecular chains (-C-C-O-) on the reactivity of terminal amino group is negligible. The wettability of modified SR surfaces increased with an increase in PEO molecular weight. Biological studies such as corneal epithelial cell culture and blood platelet adhesion were performed to understand the biocompatibility of modified SR surfaces. Biological studies using corneal epithelial cells showed that cell migration, attachment and proliferation onto PEO-20000 immobilized SR surface were suppressed, whereas these biological activities on PEO-600 were enhanced. Another study on platelet adhesion revealed that many platelets attached to PEO-600 immobilized SR, while platelet deposition was rarely observed on SR grafted with PEO-3350. The effects of different PEO molecular chains on biological response were discussed.     

Novel biodegradable films and scaffolds of chitosan blended with poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)

In order to develop a novel biomaterial, films of chitosan blended with poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) were prepared by an emulsion blending technique and their properties were characterized. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that PHB microspheres were formed and were entrapped in chitosan matrices, which made the film surface rough. With increasing PHB content, the roughness of the film surface increased, while the swelling capability of the films decreased. In a wet state, the blended films exhibited a lower elastic modulus, a higher elongation-at-break and a higher tensile strength compared with chitosan films. Cell-culture experiments revealed that the blended films had better cytocompatibility than chitosan films. To explore the potential application of the blended material in tissue engineering, the porous blended scaffolds were fabricated and their pore morphology was observed by SEM. The results revealed that not only pore structure but also pore wall morphology of the blended scaffolds could be controlled by selecting the parameters of the fabrication process. These advantageous properties indicate that the blended chitosan/PHB material is promising for tissue engineering applications.     

Properties of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) films modified with polyvinylpyrrolidone and behavior of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts cultured on the blended films

A series of composite films of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx) modified with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was prepared by varying the ratio of constituents, and their properties and cytocompatibility were evaluated. The hydrophilicity of the blended materials surfaces increased and the amounts of fibronectin and laminin adsorbed on the materials surface increased remarkably compared with PHBHHx. FT-IR spectra of the blended films showed a new band, implying that a surface physical interpenetrating network structure had formed. Scanning electron microscopy showed that there were dense pits and holes on the blended films surface. For the films of PHBHHx with 20 wt% and 40 wt% PVP, MTT assay indicated that PVP enhanced cell adhesion and proliferation, but that the effects were impaired by excessive PVP. The results suggested that proper addition of PVP increased the cytocompatibility of PHBHHx because the material surface had increased hydrophilicity and presented an appropriate morphology.     

Synthesis,Characterization and Cell Compatibility of Novel Poly(ester urethane)s Based on Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) and Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) Prepared by Melting Polymerization

Novel tailor-made poly(ester urethane)s (PUs) based on microbial polyesters poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB4HB) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx) were synthesized by melting polymerization (MP) using 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) as a coupling agent. A comprehensive characterization using ¹H-NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), gel-permeation chromatography (GPC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), mechanical properties, static water contact angles, cell proliferation using smooth muscle cells from rabbit aorta (RaSMCs) and immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCat), and blood coagulation behavior were conducted on the synthesized PUs films. DSC showed that PU samples had a low degree of crystallinity at room temperature and became fully amorphous after a melt-quenched process. The series of tailor-made PUs based on different mass ratios of P3HB4HB and PHBHHx revealed a ductile and flexile mechanical property especially for PHBHHx-rich PU, or a hydrophobic property for 4HB-rich PU. A 4 days incubation experiment showed that all PU films had a better cell proliferation than poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), P3HB4HB and PHBHHx. RaSMCs cultured on PU films had a quiescent contractile phenotype, indicating that they were fully functional. HaCat incubated on tailor-made PU films showed a proliferation approximately equal to tissue-culture plates (TCPs). Blood coagulation behavior tests revealed a strong platelet adhesion and a short coagulation time on PU films. This study demonstrated potential medical applications for P3HB4HB and PHBHHx based polyurethane as a hydrophobic wound-healing and hemostatic materials.     

Fabrication of microspheres using blends of poly(ethylene adipate) and poly(ethylene adipate) / poly(hydroxybutyrate-hydroxyvalerate) with poly(caprolactone): Incorporation and release of bovine serum albumin

Spherical microspheres composed of polymer blends 80: 20 PEAD/PCL II and 40:40: 20 PEAD/P(HB-HV)/PCL II containing a range of BSA loadings have been fabricated using a single emulsion technique with solvent evaporation. 80: 20 PEAD/PCL II microspheres had smooth surfaces while 40:40:20 PEAD/P(HB-HV)/PCL II microspheres consisted of a mixture of smooth surfaced, microporous and macroporous microsphere fractions. Irrespective of fabrication polymer, microspheres were produced in high yield (> 75%) and BSA incorporation had no significant effect on microsphere size distribution which ranged from 0.6 to 5 μm and from 2.1 to 50 μm for 80: 20 PEAD/PCL II and 40:40: 20 PEAD/P(HB-HV)/PCL II microspheres, respectively. The loss of BSA by partitioning into the aqueous phase resulted in low encapsulation efficiencies (< 14.5%). BSA release increased significantly with theoretical percentage loading but the relationship could not be confirmed when the total cumulative release of BSA was expressed as a percentage of the actual total BSA incorporated. Significant BSA release could be detected for up to 26 days.     

Surface modification of poly(styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene) (SEBS) elastomer via covalent immobilization of nonionic sugar-based Gemini surfactants

Gemini surfactants (GS) with sugar-containing head-groups and different alkyl chains were successfully prepared. Poly(styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene) (SEBS) elastomer was grafted with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) by means of UV-induced graft polymerization, and then the pGMA-grafted film was chemically immobilized with the GS. The surface graft polymerization was confirmed by ATR-FTIR and XPS. The wettability and hemocompatibility of the modified surface were characterized by means of water contact angle, protein adsorption, and platelet adhesion assays. The results showed that amphiphilic surfactant-containing polymer surfaces presented protein-resistant behavior and anti-platelet adhesion after functionalization with GS, GS1 and GS2. Besides, the hemocompatibility of the modified surface deteriorated as the length of hydrophobic chain of GS increased.     

Preparation and ESCA characterization of poly(vinyl chloride) surf ace-grafted with heparin-complexing poly(amido amine) chains

By a simple process poly(amido-amine) chains have been grafted on the surface of poly(vinyl chloride). Grafted poly(vinyl chloride) is able to adsorb heparin, thus providing potentially non-thrombogenic surfaces. The grafting of poly(amido-amine), and the heparin adsorption have been studied by ESCA. It has been found that the total amount of grafted poly(amido-amine) depends on the molecular weight of the poly(amido-amine) used in the grafting reaction, but the amount of heparin adsorbed on the grafted material is relatively independent of the length of the poly(amido-amine) grafted chains.     

Effect of end segment on physicochemical properties and platelet compatibility of poly(propylene glycol)-initiated poly(methyl methacrylate)

It is well known that polyether-based copolymers have good blood compatibility, although many mechanisms have been proposed to explain their favorable performance. Our objective in carrying out the present study was to obtain a better understanding of the effect of the (poly)ether segment on blood compatibility. Therefore, we synthesized poly(propylene glycol) (PPG)-based initiators for atom transfer polymerization, where the number of propylene glycol (PG) units in the PPG (Pn(PG) was varied from 1 to 94. Methyl methacrylate (MMA) was polymerized using the initiators, resulting in the formation of polyMMAs with a PG-based ether part at the polymer terminal. We mainly investigated the effects of Pn(PG) on the surface properties and platelet compatibility of the PPG-polyMMA. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and surface contact angle (CA) analysis revealed the exposure of the PG units at the surface of the polymer. The platelet compatibility of the polymers was improved compared with a commercial polyMMA, even when Pn(PG)?=?1. These results suggest that PG units have an important influence on favorable blood compatibility, regardless of the Pn(PG) value. We also investigated protein adsorption behavior in terms of the amount and deformation of fibrinogen adsorbed on the polymer surface.     

Synthesis and pharmacokinetic behaviour of ester derivatives of 4-isobutylphenyl-2-propionic acid (Ibuprofen) with end-hydroxylated poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidinone) and poly(N-acryloyl morpholine) oligomers

Four derivatives of 4-isobutylphenyl-2-propionic acid (Ibuprofen), in which the drug was bound by ester linkages to poly(ethylene glycols) (PEG 2000-I), monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycols) (PEG 1900-I), poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidinone) (PVP-I) and poly(N-acryloyl morpholine) (PACM-I), all having approximatively the same number average molecular weight (M_n? 2000), were prepared and tested for their pharmacokinetic properties after oral administration. It was found that the two end-hydroxylated amphiphilic oligomers of polyvinylic structure, PACM and PVP, whose physico-chemical properties are comparable to those of PEGs especially as regards solvent affinity, have in principle a similar potential as promoieties for preparing oligomeric prodrugs.