Smart design for a flexible, functionalized and electroresponsive hybrid platform based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) derivatives to improve cell viability

J Mater Chem B. 2020 Oct 14;8(38):8864-8877. doi: 10.1039/d0tb01259a. Epub 2020 Sep 2.

Abstract

Development of smart functionalized materials for tissue engineering has attracted significant attention in recent years. In this work we have functionalized a free-standing film of isotactic polypropylene (i-PP), a synthetic polymer that is typically used for biomedical applications (e.g. fabrication of implants), for engineering a 3D all-polymer flexible interface that enhances cell proliferation by a factor of ca. three. A hierarchical construction process consisting of three steps was engineered as follows: (1) functionalization of i-PP by applying a plasma treatment, resulting in i-PPf; (2) i-PPf surface coating with a layer of polyhydroxymethy-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene nanoparticles (PHMeEDOT NPs) by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of HMeEDOT; and (3) deposition on the previously activated and PHMeEDOT NPs coated i-PP film (i-PPf/NP) of a graft conjugated copolymer, having a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) backbone, and randomly distributed short poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) side chains (PEDOT-g-PCL), as a coating layer of ∼9 μm in thickness. The properties of the resulting bioplatform, which can be defined as a robust macroscopic composite coated with a "molecular composite", were investigated in detail, and both adhesion and proliferation of two human cell lines have been evaluated, as well. The results demonstrate that the incorporation of the PEDOT-g-PCL layer significantly improves cell attachment and cell growth not only when compared to i-PP but also with respect to the same platform coated with only PEDOT, constructed in a similar manner, as a control.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / chemical synthesis
  • Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / chemistry*
  • Cell Adhesion / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects*
  • Coated Materials, Biocompatible / chemistry*
  • Electric Conductivity
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Pliability
  • Polyesters / chemical synthesis
  • Polyesters / chemistry
  • Polymers / chemical synthesis
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Polypropylenes / chemistry*
  • Tissue Engineering / methods
  • Tissue Scaffolds / chemistry*
  • Wettability

Substances

  • Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic
  • Coated Materials, Biocompatible
  • Polyesters
  • Polymers
  • Polypropylenes
  • poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)
  • polycaprolactone