Amphiphilic Triblock Copolymers of Methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(L-lactide)-b-poly(L-lysine) for Enhancement of Osteoblast Attachment and Growth

Amphiphilic triblock copolymers of methoxy-polyethylene glycol)-poly(L-lactide)-poly(L-lysine) (MPEG-b-PLLA-b-PLL) (M-n = 8540-22 240) were synthesized through the ring-opening polymerization of N-epsilon-(Z)-lysine-N-carboxyanhydrides (N-epsilon-(Z)-Lys-NCA) using MPEG-b-PLLA-NH2 as a macroinitiator. The triblock copolymers and diblock precursors were characterized by H-1 NMR, ATR-FTIR, and GPC. The chain lengths of each block could be controlled by varying the feed ratios of the monomers. The surface properties of films of PLLA modified by blending with the triblock copolymers were investigated by XPS and AFM and demonstrated an enrichment of PLL blocks on the surface of the PLLA film. No cytotoxicity was detected on a range of modified PLLA films arising from the incorporation of the triblock copolymers. The triblock copolymers MPEG-b-PLLA-b-PLL showed better surface properties in promoting osteoblast adhesion and proliferation compared with pure PLLA and PLLA modified with MPEG-b-PLLA diblock copolymers. This study demonstrated that the triblock copolymers containing free amino groups, which self-segregate on the surface of biodegradable polyesters, have potential for applications in cell delivery and tissue engineering.