Photoinduced graft polymerization of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine on silicone hydrogels for reducing protein adsorption.

The biomimetic synthetic methacrylate monomer containing a phosphorylcholine group, 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC), has been widely used to improve the surface property of biomaterials. In the current report, both hydrophilic and antifouling surfaces were prepared on silicone hydrogels with MPC grafted by UV-induced free radical polymerization. The MPC-grafted silicone hydrogels were characterized by graft yield and static water contact angle (SCA) measurements. According to the results, the graft yield reached a maximum at 5 min of UV exposure time and 8 wt% MPC concentration. The modified silicone hydrogels possessed hydrophilic surfaces with the lowest water contact angle of 20º. The oxygen permeability of the MPC-grafted silicone hydrogels was as high as the unmodified silicone hydrogel. The mechanical property of silicone hydrogels was maintained at about 95% of the tensile strength and elastic modulus after the MPC grafting. The results of the in vitro single protein adsorption on the MPC-grafted silicone hydrogels were in agreement with the SCA measurements. The smaller the water contact angle, the greater was the protein repelling ability. The MPC-grafted silicone hydrogel is expected to be a novel biomaterial which possesses excellent surface hydrophilicity, antifouling property, oxygen permeability and mechanical property.