Lipoprotein interactions with a polyurethane and a polyethylene oxide-modified polyurethane at the plasma–material interface

Lipoproteins [high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL)] are present in blood in relatively high concentrations, and, given their importance in cardiovascular disease, the interactions of these species with blood contacting biomaterials and their possible role in thrombogenesis is of interest. In the present communication, quantitative data on the adsorption of apolipoprotein AI, apolipoprotein AII (the main protein components of HDL), and apolipoprotein B (the main protein component of LDL and VLDL), as well as the lipoproteins themselves from plasma to a biomedical grade polyurethane (PU) with and without a copolymer additive that contains polyethylene oxide (PEO) segments, were investigated. Adsorption from some binary solutions was also studied. Significant quantities of the apolipoproteins were found to adsorb from plasma to the PU, while adsorption to the PEO material was more than 90% lower, demonstrating strong protein resistance of the latter material. In contrast, significant quantities of the lipoproteins were found to adsorb to the PEO as well as to the PU material. From these and previously published results, it is concluded that the protein layer formed on the PU surface from plasma (and by extension from blood) contains apolipoproteins and lipoproteins in addition to other plasma proteins; the layer formed on the PEO surface, however, appears to contain minimal quantities of plasma proteins (including free apolipoproteins) but significant quantities of lipoproteins.