Good Blood Compatibility Research Articles

Curcumin-loaded PLGA-PEG nanoparticles conjugated with B6 peptide for potential use in Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder mainly characterized by β-amyloid deposit and tau hyperphosphorylation with no curative treatments. Curcumin (Cur) has been proved to have potential use in Alzheimer’s disease with its anti-amyloid, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant properties, etc. However, its hydrophobicity and low bioavailability hinder its application. In this paper, we designed a novel brain-target nanoparticle, poly(lactide-co-glycolide)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLGA-PEG) conjugated with B6 peptide and was loaded with Cur (PLGA-PEG-B6/Cur) and administered it into HT22 cells and APP/PS1 Al transgenic mice. The in vitro assays including dynamic light scattering (DLS), flow cytometry (FCM), red blood cell (RBC) lysis, and thromboelastography (TEG) analysis indicated that this nanoparticle could narrow the diameter of Cur, increase its cellular uptake and possess good blood compatibility. The results from Morris water maze proved that PLGA-PEG-B6/Cur could tremendously improve the spatial learning and memory capability of APP/PS1 mice, compared with native Cur. The ex vivo assays including Bielschowsky silver staining, immunostaining, and western blotting demonstrated that PLGA-PEG-B6/Cur could reduce hippocampal β-amyloid formation and deposit and tau hyperphosphorylation. Thus, we suggested that PLGA-PEG-B6/Cur nanoparticles would be of potential and promising use for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Fabrication of a blood compatible composite membrane from chitosan nanoparticles, ethyl cellulose and bacterial cellulose sulfate.

A heparin-like composite membrane was fabricated through electrospinning chitosan nanoparticles (CN) together with an ethylcellulose (EC) ethanol solution onto a bacterial cellulose sulfate membrane (BCS). Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that there were no chitosan particles in the obtained composite CN-EC/BCS membranes (CEB), indicating CN had been stretched to nanofibers. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy verified the existence of –NH2 from chitosan and –SO3− from BCS on the surface of CEB membranes. Positively charged CN in the electrospinning solution and negatively charged BCS on the collector increased the electrostatic force and the electrospinning ability of the EC was increased. The membrane was hydrophobic, with a water contact angle higher than 120°. CEB membranes expressed good blood compatibility according to the results of coagulation time and platelet adhesion experiments. No platelets adhered on the surface of the CEB membranes. An inflammatory response was investigated according to activation of the macrophages seeded onto the membranes. Macrophages seeded on CEB membranes are not activated after 24 h incubation.

Fabrication of macroporous reduced graphene oxide composite aerogels reinforced with chitosan for high bilirubin adsorption.

Numerous adsorbents have been reported for the removal of bilirubin, which is a well-known endogenous toxin. Three-dimensional graphene sponges and aerogels have been fully studied in the adsorption field but little in hemoperfusion especially for bilirubin adsorption. In this study, macroporous reduced graphene oxide (GO) aerogels were fabricated by a chemical reduction method. Besides, chitosan was introduced in the aerogels during the reduction process to improve their mechanical properties. The graphene oxide composite aerogels reinforced with chitosan (rGO/CS) were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET). Furthermore, the mechanical properties test showed the reinforced mechanical strength of the rGO/CS aerogels. The adsorption performance of the aerogels for bilirubin was studied in detail, showing a high adsorption capacity (458.9 mg g−1) and a fast adsorption rate. Moreover, the low hemolysis ratio and negligible anticoagulant activity of rGO/CS aerogels suggested good blood compatibility. The mesoporous structure of the aerogels can provide good mechanical strength, and the macroporous structure of the rGO/CS aerogels shows a good adsorption capacity, which would have potential applications in bilirubin adsorption.

Preparation and platelet adhesion of chitosan/PVA nanofibrous membrane

In this study, chitosan (CTS) dissolved in acetic acid was electrospun together with aqueous poly(vinyl alcohol) solution (PVA) to prepare membranes (CTS/PVA) with nanofibers. The morphology of the membranes varied with the electrospinning conditions. High polymer concentration, high distance or high voltage was facilitative in obtaining a membrane with nanofibers. A CTS/PVA membrane with evenly distributed nanofibers (50 nm dia.) was obtained under the following conditions: 4·5 g CTS in 55 ml 27% acetic acid, 0·4 g PVA in 5 ml water (H2O), 0·1 g sodium chloride (NaCl), electrospinning voltage of 40 kV and distance of 25 cm from the injector to the collector. The water contact angle of CTS/PVA membranes increased after cross-linking with glutaraldehyde steam. Platelet adhesion measurement expressed that CTS/PVA with only nanofibers had no platelet adhesion, indicating good blood compatibility. Cross-linked CTS/PVA mats were stable while in contact with phosphate-buffered saline solution.

Preparation of nano-CaCO3/polystyrene nanocomposite beads for efficient bilirubin removal

A novel nano-CaCO3/polystyrene nanocomposite adsorbent (NPS-8) was synthesized for efficient bilirubin removal from human plasma. A comparison with the polystyrene adsorbent (PS-8), which was without the incorporation of nano-CaCO3, revealed that NPS-8 had superior bilirubin adsorption capacity and mechanical strength. The resulting nano-CaCO3 reinforced PS-8 (NPS-8) was tested by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mechanical strength test, and bilirubin adsorption assays. The adsorption results indicated that NPS-8 displayed better adsorption capacity for bilirubin (91%) than that of PS-8 (75.88%). The mechanical strength of NPS-8 was significantly greater than that of PS-8. In addition, both PS-8 and NPS-8 possessed good blood compatibility properties (a negligible hemolytic activity and platelet adhesion). Therefore, a conclusion could be drawn that NPS-8 has a high potential as an efficient bilirubin adsorbent for blood purification in clinical practice. At the same time, the success of organic-inorganic nanocomposite adsorbents might provide a new insight into the improvement of adsorbents in hemoperfusion.

Hemostatic porous sponges of cross-linked hyaluronic acid/cationized dextran by one self-foaming process

Effective hemostatic materials are very important for treating trauma cases. Natural polysaccharides have been particularly appealing in the development of new hemostatic materials due to their unique functions in human bodies. In this work, different polysaccharide-based hemostatic porous sponges (SHDP or SHDQ) of cross-linked hyaluronic acid (HA)/cationized dextran were readily prepared by the self-foaming process of HA and poly((2-dimethyl amino)-ethyl methacrylate)-grafted dextran (Dex-PDM) or partially-quaternized Dex-PDM in the presence of sodium trimetaphosphate crosslinkers. SHDP and SHDQ sponges were investigated in terms of liquid-absorption ability, hemolysis, whole-blood clotting and hemostatic activity in hemorrhaging-liver models. Compared with HA/Dex-PDM sponges (HDP) without chemical cross-linking, SHDP and SHDQ sponges displayed higher porosity (>70.0% vs. 48.9%) and swelling ratios (>1000% vs. 520%). Meanwhile, hemolysis assay revealed the good blood compatibility of SHDP and SHDQ with low hemolysis ratio (below 0.5%). Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo hemostatic assay showed that SHDQ possessed better hemostatic properties than SHDP, owing to the higher cationic charges of partially-quaternized Dex-QPDM than Dex-PDM. The present study demonstrated that the self-foaming process of HA/Dex-PDM under a ‘green’ condition is an effective means to produce new hemostatic materials.

Bioactive zwitterionic polymer brushes grafted from silicon wafers via SI-ATRP for enhancement of antifouling properties and endothelial cell selectivity

Zwitterionic copolymers keep good resistance to platelet adhesion and nonspecific protein adsorption. In this study, A block copolymer brushes consisting of carboxybetaine methacrylate (CBMA) and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) were grafted from silicon wafers via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization, and then the Arg-Glu-Asp-Val (REDV) peptide was attached to the polymer brush via an reactive epoxy group of the P(GMA) unit to improve endothelial cells (ECs) selectivity. These modified surfaces were evaluated with scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and static water contact angle measurement. The results showed that REDV-modified zwitterionic brushes were successfully constructed on silicon wafers. The biocompatibility of the membrane was determined by plasma recalcification time assay and platelet adhesion test. The results showed that the modified substrate exhibited good blood compatibility. Moreover, the proliferation of ECs and smooth muscle cells onto the REDV-modified copolymer brushes were examined to demonstrate the synergistic effect of CBMA with antifouling property and REDV peptide with ECs selectivity. All assays showed that the silicon wafers displayed excellent EC selectivity after modification. In summary, REDV-modified zwitterionic brushes had great potential for cardiovascular stent implantation.

An in vivo study on endothelialized vascular grafts produced by autologous biotubes and adipose stem cells (ADSCs).

Currently, commercial synthetic vascular grafts made from Dacron and ePTFE for small-diameter, vascular applications (<6 mm) show limited reendothelization and are less compliant, often resulting in thrombosis and intimal hyperplasia. Although good blood compatibility can be achieved in autologous arteries and veins, the number of high quality harvest sites is limited, and the grafts are size-mismatched for use in the fistula or cardiovascular bypass surgery; thus, alternative small graft substitutes must be developed. A biotube is an in vivo, tissue-engineered approach for the growth of autologous grafts through the subcutaneous implantation of an inert rod through the inflammation process. In the present study, we embedded silicone rods with a diameter of 2 mm into the dorsal subcutaneous tissue of rabbits for 4 weeks to grow biotubes. The formation of functional endothelium cells aligned on the inner wall surface was achieved by seeding with adipose stem cells (ADSCs). The ADSCs-seeded biotubes were implanted into the carotid artery of rabbits for more than 1 month, and the patency rates and remodeling of endothelial cells were observed by angiography and fluorescence staining, respectively. Finally, the mechanical properties of the biotube were also evaluated. The fluorescence staining results showed that the ADSCs differentiated not only into endothelia cells but also into smooth muscle cells. Moreover, the patency of the ADSCs-seeded biotube remained high for at least 5 months. These small-sized ADSCs-seeded vascular biotubes may decrease the rate of intimal hyperplasia during longer implantation times and have potential clinical applications in the future.

Preparation and blood compatibility of electrospun nanofibrous CTS/PLA mats from chitosan nanopowders and poly(lactic acid)

Chitosan nanopowder (NCTS) was prepared through ball milling. NCTS was successfully electrospun to nanofibers with the assistance of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) to prepare electrospun mats (NCTS/PLA). Scanning electron microscope images revealed that there were no chitosan particles in NCTS/PLA, indicating NCTS had been stretched to nanofibers. The effects of the electrospinning parameters (voltage, distance, and NCTS amount) on the morphology of NCTS/PLA were investigated. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy verified the existence of chitosan in the mats. All the NCTS/PLA mats had a water contact angle higher than 130°, showing good hydrophobicity. NCTS/PLA expressed good blood compatibility according to the results of coagulation time and platelet adhesion experiment. NCTS/PLA had a little longer activated partial thrombin time than PLA and more NCTS leaded longer coagulation times. No platelets aggregation and deformation appeared on NCTS/PLA mats. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E416–E425, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers

Sucrose based ionic liquid colloidal microgels in separation of biomacromolecules

Abstract Sucrose microgels were synthesized by using divinyl sulfone as crosslinker with a high yield, almost 100%. Sucrose microgels in the size range of 0.5–20 μm as revealed by SEM images were obtained. The prepared sucrose microgels were chemically modified with polyethyleneimine (PEI) that contain branched amine functional groups. Then, these modified (M-) Sucrose microgel were protonated with HCl to render further positive charges to enable anion exchange reaction with sodium dicyanamide (SDC), ammonium hexafluorophosphate (AHFP), sodium tetrafluoroborate (STFB) to generate ionic liquid colloid (ILC). IL in colloidal form can enable the advantages of natural polymeric colloids and IL. Upon modification, the negatively charged sucrose microgels with zeta potential (ZP) value of −30.2 ± 2 mV was increased to +30.1 ± 2 mV, and the ILC forms of Sucrose microgels were also measured as highly positively charged particles with about ZP value of +35 mV. The characterization of the ILC Sucrose microgels were evaluated by employing various techniques such as scanning electron microscope (SEM), FT-IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and zeta potential measurements. Interestingly, quaternized (Q-) and ILC forms of Sucrose microgels were found very effective antibacterial agents against Eschericia coli ATCC 8739 (gram negative) and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 (gram positive) microorganisms owing to their cationic nature. Furthermore, Sucrose based microgels demonstrated good blood compatibility with the exception of Q-Sucrose microgels with slight hemolysis ratio and highly blood clotting index. It was also revealed that SDC-Sucrose ILC microgels can be used in adsorbent material with high amount of protein absorbing capabilities e.g., 22.3 ± 6.2 lysozyme and 22.1 ± 1.1 mg/g bovine serum albumin (BSA) in PBS at pH 7.4.

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.

Silk fibroin films for potential applications in controlled release

Silk fibroin extracted from Bombyx mori cocoon was processed into regenerated films and examined for potential application in controlled drug release. Instead of using dialysis process, the present study proposed a novel convenient method to remove LiBr from fibroin aqueous solution during film preparation process. The prepared fibroin films were characterized by FTIR and SEM, showing that the films were dense, homogeneous, and partially crystalized. The biocompatibility of fibroin films was initially evaluated by the adsorption of BSA. It was shown that at 10mg/mL of BSA concentration, the BSA sorption reached 0.045mg/cm2, which is indicative of good blood compatibility and biocompatibility of the fibroin. Further, the permeability and diffusivity of four model drugs in the fibroin films were investigated, and they were found to be on the same orders of magnitudes as many other controlled release materials, indicating that the naturally occurring fibroin is a good candidate material for uses in controlled release. The mass transport through the fibroin film pertaining to controlled drug release was also studied.

A facile way to prepare anti-fouling and blood-compatible polyethersulfone membrane via blending with heparin-mimicking polyurethanes

In this study, new kinds of heparin-mimicking polyurethanes (PUs) were fabricated conveniently in the mixed solution of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and water, reducing the usage of organic solvent. Functional groups of SO3H and/or COOH were introduced into PUs with various ratios of SO3H to COOH. The PUs were then blended with polyethersulfone (PES) to fabricate heparin-mimicking modified PES membranes by a phase inversion technique. Then, the microstructures, zeta potentials, water contact angles (WCA) and protein adsorptions of the membranes were characterized. Comparing with pristine PES membrane, the modified membranes showed changed cross-sectional morphology, lowered zeta potentials and decreased water contact angles, revealing that the hydrophilicity and anti-fouling properties were improved. The modified membranes also showed prolonged clotting tines (APTTs) and suppressed platelet adhesion, revealing that the anticoagulant properties increased. The results of complement activation, contact activation and platelet activation further implied that the modified membranes had good blood compatibility. In addition, the cells on the membranes showed good morphology with the introduction of the PUs. With the increase of the ratio of SO3H to COOH, the hydrophilicity, the blood compatibility as well as the cytocompatibility increased, implying that the SO3H groups could improve the hemocompatibility of the membranes more effectively than COOH groups. While the membranes containing more COOH groups had better antifouling properties of BSA and BFG. Therefore, the hemocompatibility for the heparin-mimicking membranes could be tuned by controlling the ratios of SO3H to COOH. The PES/PU composite membranes might have great potential to be used in the field of blood purification.

Hyperbranched polyglycerol-modified graphene oxide as an efficient drug carrier with good biocompatibility

As a promising drug carrier, graphene oxide (GO) has been studied widely in drug delivery due to its excellent loading ability to aromatic drugs. However, its biocompatibility, such as stability and blood compatibility, is now the biggest obstacle for its further application. Herein, the hyperbranched polyglycerol (HPG)-modified GO was prepared through the anionic ring-opening polymerization using GO as the initiator directly, and then the doxorubicin hydrochloride was loaded and showed obvious cytotoxicity to tumor cells. The obtained HPG-GO displayed good stability in the aqueous solution, as well showed low toxicity in vitro and in vivo. As an injectable drug carrier, HPG-GO showed good blood compatibility with negligible effect on the hemolysis and blood coagulation. Such a stable and blood-compatible GO derivative may be applied widely in drug delivery in the future.

Polyanionic Antimicrobial Membranes: An Experimental and Theoretical Study.

Polycationic polymers have been widely used as antimicrobial materials because of their broad spectrum activity and potential use as new antibiotics. Herein, we report the synthesis of polyanionic antimicrobial membranes by in situ photo-cross-linking of a sulfate based anionic monomer, followed by cation-exchange with organic (quaternary ammonium or imidazolium) or metal (Ag+, Cu2+, Fe3+, Zn2+, Na+, K+) cations. The resultant polyanionic membranes show high and broad spectrum antibacterial activities against both bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus) and fungi (Candida albicans ). In addition, the polyanionic antimicrobial membranes efficiently inhibited the formation of biofilms by SC5314 and its crk1 gene deleted (Δcrk1) C. albicans strains. Furthermore, the synthesized polyanionic membranes exhibit good blood compatibility, low cytotoxicity and long-term antibacterial stability, demonstrating safe antimicrobial materials in the application of healthcare.

Preparation of carboxymethyl chitosan nanofibers through electrospinning the ball-milled nanopowders with poly (lactic acid) and the blood compatibility of the electrospun NCMC/PLA mats

Carboxymethyl chitosan was pulverized to nanopowder (NCMC) with a diameter of 483 nm through ball-milling. 400 mg NCMC was successfully electrospun to nanofibers with the assistant of 4 g poly (lactic acid) (PLA) to prepare NCMC/PLA nanofibrous composite mats. Scanning electron microscope images revealed that there were no NCMC particles in the NCMC/PLA mats, indicating NCMC had been stretched to nanofibers. NCMC/PLA mats with different morphology could be prepared through adjusting the electrospinning voltage at 12–30 kV and the distance at 10–22 cm. The presence of NCMC increased the spinnability of PLA according to the electrospinning parameters. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy verified the existence of NCMC in the mats. Crosslinking with glutaraldehyde increased the stability of NCMC/PLA in water. Crosslinked NCMC/PLA mats expressed good blood compatibility according to the results of blood clotting time and platelet adhesion experiment. The methodology of preparation nanofibers from polymer nanopowders through electrospinning could be used to prepare more composite nanofibers while adopting different raw materials.

One-pot synthesis of highly hemocompatible polyurethane/polyethersulfone composite membranes

In this study, polyethersulfone (PES) membranes were modified by in situ cross-linking polymerization of polyurethane with functional groups of –COOH and –SO3H using PEG as the chain extender in one pot, followed with a phase inversion technique. The composite membranes were characterized by FTIR, water contact angle, and scanning electron microscope. Comparing with pristine PES membrane, the modified membranes showed decreased water contact angles and changed cross-sectional morphology. The modified membranes also showed decreased protein adsorption and suppressed platelet adhesion, as well as improved antifouling property. In addition, the composite membranes had prolonged activated partial thromboplastin times due to the functional groups and improved hydrophilicity. The results of contact activation and complement activation also indicated that the modified membranes had good blood compatibility. Furthermore, the cytocompatibility was significantly improved. The highly hemocompatible PES composite membranes fabricated by the in situ cross-linking polymerization of polyurethane may have great potential to be used in the field of blood purification.

In vitro anticoagulant activity of polyanionic graft chains modified poly(vinyl alcohol) particles

Poly(acrylic acid), poly(sodium styrenesulfonate), and poly(acrylic acid-co-sodium styrenesulfonate) chains were immobilized onto poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) particles via a facile γ-ray simultaneous irradiation induced graft polymerization technique, which were confirmed by the attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and the high swelling ratios of modified PVA particles. The effects of absorbed dose, dose rate, Cu2+ concentration and monomer concentration on the degree of grafting (DG) of PVA particles were investigated to find out a feasible process for preparing polyanionic chains graft-modified PVA particles. The clotting time results illustrated that both PVA-g-PAA and PVA-g-PSSS particles presented excellent anticoagulant activity, and the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT) and thrombin time (TT) were effectively prolonged with the increase of DGAA and DGSSS, respectively. Furthermore, the anticoagulant activity of PVA-g-PSSS samples was more efficient than that of PVA-g-PAA samples. However, the anticoagulant effect of PVA-g-P(AA-co-SSS) samples was different from that of PVA-g-PAA and PVA-g-PSSS samples, and was similar to that of heparin, mainly elongating the APTT and TT. This might be due to both of them containing the same negative-charged groups. Additionally, the grafted PVA particles were all non-hemolytic, showing good blood compatibility.

Physicochemical properties and biological activities of novel blend films using oxidized pectin/chitosan

Pectin has been widely used in a variety of biomedical applications. In this study, it was modified with sodium periodate as an oxidant and characterized by physicochemical methods Periodate oxidation increased the contents of dialdehyde units and carboxyl groups in pectin, and a decrease in pectin viscosity was measured. The oxidization reaction led to a significant decrease in all values of molecular weight and size (Mn, Mw, [η] and Rh) as determined by size exclusion chromatography (SEC), which allowed the selection of the oxidized pectin to be added to chitosan. Chitosan-based films were characterized by infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements. Thermal behaviour studies demonstrated that interactions existed between chitosan and oxidized pectin. The haemolysis percentages of films were found to be less than 5%, which indicated their good blood compatibility. Finally, the antibacterial activity was clearly improved. Cross-linking reactions between pectin and chitosan through ionic bonds and amide bonds and between chitosan and oxidized pectin through Schiff base formation were evidenced, which opens the way to extend applications of these polysaccharides; notably, the biocompatibility and biodegradability of these new networks is convenient for pharmaceutical, biomedical or cosmetic applications.

Construction of blood compatible lysine-immobilized chitin/carbon nanotube microspheres and potential applications for blood purified therapy.

Excess bilirubin often evokes hepatobiliary system dysfunction. In the present work, we developed an efficient, safe and blood compatible adsorbent for bilirubin removal from human blood. In view of the highly effective adsorption of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on bilirubin but with many side effects, and good biocompatibility of chitin but with low efficiency for bilirubin removal, new chitin/carbon nanotube (Ch/CNT) nanofibrous microspheres were constructed from chitin solution in NaOH/urea aqueous system by blending with CNTs. The results of AFM, SEM, and TEM demonstrated that the CNTs were dispersed well in the chitin matrix, and the chitin nanofibers intertwined with CNTs to form hybrid chitin/CNT nanofibers and then weaved into a 3D interconnected network architecture. Moreover, lysine (Lys), a highly specific ligand for bilirubin, was immobilized tightly to the hybrid microspheres to obtain Ch/CNT/Lys. The resultant microspheres possessed large surface area and hierarchical pores including mesopores and micropores, which could allow bilirubin to enter easily and store, leading to highly efficient adsorption. The Ch/CNT/Lys microspheres exhibited excellent bilirubin adsorption property (107.2 mg g-1) and efficient bilirubin clearance rate from real hyperbilirubinemia plasma competing with protein, as well as good cell affinity and blood compatibility, as a result of the combination of the high adsorption of CNTs and inherent biocompatibility of chitin and lysine. Therefore, an effective strategy to develop a novel biocompatible and blood compatible bilirubin adsorbent is provided, showing potential applications for hemoperfusion in blood purified therapy.