A novel synthetic vascular prosthesis: effect of plasma protein adsorption on blood- and cyto-compatibility

✍ Scribed by M.L.W. Knetsch; Y.B.J. Aldenhoff; H.H.L. Hanssen; L. H. Koole

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 225 KB
• Volume: 37
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0933-5137
• DOI: 10.1002/mawe.200600028

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The development of a genuinely functional small diameter vascular prosthesis remains one of the toughest problems in biomedical engineering. Most current small diameter vascular grafts fail because of thrombotic complications or neo‐intimal hyperplasia. Here were present a novel synthetic vascular prosthesis with a polymer coated luminal surface. The coating can be tuned for its hydrophilicity by varying the molar ratio of the monomers, N‐vinyl‐pyrrolidinone and butyl‐methacrylate. Additionally these polymeric coatings can be loaded with anticoagulant drugs, like heparin. Especially surface exposed heparin dramatically improved blood‐compatibility of the coating, reducing thrombin generation. For long‐term functionality of vascular prostheses, formation of an endothelial cell layer is vital. In vitro, the hydrophobic coatings in particular supported formation of an endothelial cell layer. Upon adsorption of blood plasma proteins, endothelial cells grew equally well on all surfaces, irrespective of the hydrophilicity. It was found that high density lipoprotein (HDL) is responsible for transforming hydrophilic coatings into good cell‐compatible surfaces. Furthermore, HDL can reduce surface‐induced thrombin generation and therefore can be used to modify the lumen of a vascular prosthesis.