Photopolymerized poly(l-lactide-b-N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) network resists cell adhesion in situ

A three-armed star-shaped poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) oligomer was synthesized using glycerol to ring-opening and polymerize l-lactide. The resultant oligomer introduced photoreactive groups at the terminal of PLLA chains by a coupling reaction with monoethyl fumarate (FAME). Photopolymerizable resin has been prepared by mixing PLLA 3-FAME, N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP) as a reactive diluent and Irgacure 2959 as a photoinitiator. The PLLA 3-FAME/NVP cross-linked network could be formed by UV curing and was characterized through mechanical property tests, cytotoxicity experiments and cell adhesion experiments. In the dry state, Young's modulus and tensile strength of the network were significantly higher than those of pure PLLA formed by fused deposition modeling (FDM) printing, due to the formation of the cross-linked net. In the wet state, however, Young's modulus and tensile strength of the network were reduced by less than those of PLLA since the water-absorbed NVP content was easy to stretch. Moreover, the resultant network not only exhibited no obvious cytotoxicity but also resisted the adhesion of L929 fibroblasts. Combined with Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology, the poly(l-lactide-b-N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) network may be widely used in the field of anti-adhesion barrier materials and/or biological anti-fouling materials with customization requirements.

Automated summary

A star-shaped PLLA oligomer with photoreactive groups at the terminal was synthesized, and a photopolymerizable resin was prepared by incorporating NVP and FAME. The resulting network showed high mechanical properties in the dry state and good flexibility in the wet state, with both cytocompatibility and anti-adhesion properties. The material holds potential for applications in anti-adhesion barrier materials and biological anti-fouling materials with customization requirements, enabled by Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology.