Multi‐Modal, Surface‐Focused Anticoagulation Using Poly‐2‐methoxyethylacrylate Polymer Grafts and Surface Nitric Oxide Release

Abstract

This study examines platelet adhesion on surfaces that combine coatings to limit protein adsorption along with “anti‐platelet” nitric oxide (NO) release. Uncoated and poly‐2‐methoxyethylacrylate (PMEA) coated, gas permeable polypropylene (PP) membranes were placed in a bioreactor to separate plasma and gas flows. Nitrogen with 100/500/1000 ppm of NO was supplied to the gas side as a proof of concept. On the plasma side, platelet rich plasma (PRP, 1 × 108 cell/mL) was recirculated at low (60)/high (300) flows (mL/min). After 8 hours, adsorbed platelets on PP was quantified via a lactate dehydrogenase assay. Compared to plain PP, the PMEA coating alone reduced adsorption by 17.4 ± 9.2% and 29.6 ± 16.6% at low and high flow (p < 0.05), respectively. NO was more effective at low plasma flow. At 100 and 500 ppm of NO, adsorption fell by 37.9 ± 6.1% and 100 ± 4.7%, (p < 0.001), on plain PP. At high flow with 100, 500, and 1000 ppm of NO, adsorption reduced by 17.9 ± 17.8%, 46.4 ± 23.2%, and 100 ± 4.8%, (p < 0.001), respectively. On PMEA‐coated PP with only 100 ppm, adsorption fell by 69.7 ± 6.8 and 65.6% ± 16.9%, (p < 0.001), at low and high flows respectively. Therefore, the combination of an anti‐adsorptive coating with NO has great potential to reduce platelet adhesion and coagulation at biomaterial surfaces.