Behavior of blood cells in contact with water-soluble phospholipid polymer.

Omega-Methacryloyloxyalkyl phosphorylcholine (MAPC) polymer, which has various methylene chain lengths between the phosphorylcholine group and the backbone, was synthesized with attention to formation of the biomembrane. The effect of water-soluble poly(MAPC) on the function and activation of blood cells was evaluated to determine the interaction between blood cells and the MAPC polymer. The poly(MAPC) and the MAPC copolymer with a small amount of fluorescent units were synthesized by a conventional radical polymerization technique. Using a fluorescence spectrometer, it was determined that the MAPC polymer was adsorbed on the plasma membrane of platelets when the platelets were suspended in an aqueous solution of the MAPC copolymer. The hemolytic activity of poly(MAPC) was less than that of other water-soluble polymers, such as poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVPy). The change in the plasma membrane fluidity of platelets on contact with poly(MAPC) was determined with 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5,-hexatriene. The plasma membrane fluidity of platelets decreased with an increase in the methylene chain length of the MAPC unit. The aggregation activity of platelets after contact with poly(MAPC) was also evaluated, but no significant difference between that of polymer-contacted platelets and native platelets was observed. Finally, the activity of platelets on contact with poly(MAPC) was determined by measuring the cytoplasmic calcium ion concentration ([Ca2+]i) in platelets. The increase in [Ca2+]i in the platelets after contact with poly(MAPC) was similar to that of native platelets. We conclude that the poly(MAPC) reduced platelet activation even though the poly(MAPC) adsorbed on the membrane surface of the platelets. In particular, poly(10-methacryloyloxydecyl phosphorylcholine) significantly reduced platelet activation compared with PVPy.