Journal
BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE
Volume 9, Issue 9, Pages 3362-3377Publisher
ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY
DOI: 10.1039/d0bm01699c
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Funding
- i3S Scientific Platforms (specifically Andre Maia from BioSciences Screening, Rui Fernandes from Histology and Electron Microscopy and Bioimaging) [PPBI-POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022122]
- Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) [PD/BD/114156/2016, SFRH/BD/120154/2016]
- FCT from NECL [NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-022096]
- FCT [PTDC/CTM-COM/32431/2017, UIDB/04293/2020, UIDB/00511/2020-LEPABE]
- Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia [SFRH/BD/120154/2016, PD/BD/114156/2016, PTDC/CTM-COM/32431/2017] Funding Source: FCT
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The novel pHEMA/GO hydrogel composite demonstrates excellent hemocompatibility, superior in preventing thrombosis and bacterial adhesion compared to the commercial material ePTFE.
Thrombosis and infection are the leading causes of blood-contacting device (BCD) failure, mainly due to the poor performance of existing biomaterials. Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) has excellent hemocompatibility but the weak mechanical properties impair its use as a bulk material for BCD. As such, pHEMA has been explored as a coating, despite the instability and difficulty of attachment to the underlying polymer compromise its success. This work describes the hydrogel composites made of pHEMA and graphene-based materials (GBM) that meet the biological and mechanical requirements for a stand-alone BCD. Five GBM differing in thickness, oxidation degree, and lateral size were incorporated in pHEMA, revealing that only oxidized-GBM can reinforce pHEMA. pHEMA/oxidized-GBM composites are cytocompatible and prevent the adhesion of endothelial cells, blood platelets, and bacteria (S. aureus), thus maintaining pHEMA's anti-adhesive properties. As a proof of concept, the thrombogenicity of the tubular prototypes of the best formulation (pHEMA/Graphene oxide (GO)) was evaluated in vivo, using a porcine arteriovenous-shunt model. pHEMA/GO conduits withstand the blood pressure and exhibit negligible adhesion of blood components, revealing better hemocompatibility than ePTFE, a commercial material for vascular access. Our findings reveal pHEMA/GO, a synthetic and off-the-shelf hydrogel, as a preeminent material for the design of blood-contacting devices that prevent thrombosis and bacterial adhesion.
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