In Vitro Evaluation of a Relationship Between Human Serumor Plasma-Material Interaction and Polymer Bulk Hydroxyl and Surface Oxygen Content

Abstract

To evaluate serum- or plasma-material interactions and a relationship between such interactions and membrane properties such as bulk hydroxyl percentage and surface oxygen percent, medical polymeric membranes with extremely different hydroxyl percentage and surface oxygen percentage were evaluated with normal human serums or plasmas. Six types of mini-membrane modules (hydroxyl & surface oxygen %) were studied including cellulose triacetate (CA; 0 & 34.7%), Cuprophan (CP; 31.5 and 37.4%), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVAL; 30.4 and 25.3%), polyacrylonitrile (PAN; 1.5 and 10.2%), polysulfone (PS-F; 0 and 14.2%), and a polymer alloy of polysulfone (PS-K; 0 and 16.2%). Post-perfusion values of biochemical solutes and complement components for PAN and both PS membranes were smaller than those for sham, CA, CP, and EVAL membrane module perfusions. C3a and C4a concentrations showed no significant differences among all membranes except PS-K. Mononuclear cell transformation functions to all mitogens for serums in contact with CA and CP membranes were suppressed versus sham and PAN and both PS membranes. Fibrinogen concentration changes for plasma in contact with EVAL, PAN, and PS-F membranes were significantly smaller than sham, and a significant prolongation of APTT was found for only EVAL versus sham, CA, and CP. Higher surface oxygen percentages (CA, CP > EVAL > PAN, both PS) but not hydroxyl content were associated with lower protein adsorption and higher suppressive transformation function results. These results suggest that surface oxygen percentage may be an important indicator of biocompatibility.