In-vitro hemocompatibility evaluation of a thermoplastic polyurethane membrane with surface-immobilized water-soluble chitosan and heparin.

The surface of a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) membrane was treated with low temperature plasma (LTP) and was then grafted with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), followed by the grafting of water-soluble chitosan (WSC) and heparin (HEP). The surface was characterized with static contact-angle and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that the surface densities of peroxides and PAA reached a maximum when treated with LTP for 90 s. A higher pH of the reacting solution led to higher graft densities of WSC and HEP. After WSC and HEP grafting, the hydrophilicity of the TPU membrane was increased. The adsorption of proteins on HEP-grafted TPU membranes was effectively curtailed. In addition, HEP grafting also reduced platelet adhesion, elevated thrombin inactivation, and prolonged the blood coagulation time. According to the L929 fibroblast cell growth inhibition index, the HEP-grafted TPU membranes exhibited non-cytotoxicity. Overall results demonstrated that the HEP immobilization could not only improve the hydrophilicity but also the hemocompatibility of the TPU membrane, while maintaining the ascendant biocompatibility.