Organoditelluride-tethered polymers that spontaneously generate nitric oxide when in contact with fresh blood

Abstract

An organoditelluride (RTeTeR) species (5,5′-ditelluro-2,2′-dithiophenecarboxylic acid, DTDTCA) that catalytically decomposes endogenous S-nitrosothiols (RSNOs) to nitric oxide (NO) in the presence of free thiols (RSHs) is used to prepare new types of NO generating polymers (NOGPs). In this work, DTDTCA is covalently linked to poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) to form a water soluble NOGP (polymer 2). This polymer is further crosslinked within a cellulose membrane to yield an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) (polymer 3). The catalytic NO generation ability of these NOPGs is clearly observed viachemiluminescence detection of liberated NO. The observed NO fluxes of the IPNs in the presence of given concentrations of RSNOs and reducing thiols can be tuned by adjusting the DTDTCA loading of polymer 2 crosslinked within the cellulose support. Polymer 3 is shown to spontaneously generate NO when in contact with fresh blood via amperometric sensor measurements. Hence, these new types of NOGPs are potentially useful as catalytic layers to create new amperometric RSNO sensors and possibly blood contacting medical devices that exhibit improved hemocompatiblity.