There are a multitude of polymeric materials currently utilized to prepare a variety of blood-contacting implantable medical devices. These devices include tissue grafts, coronary artery and vascular stents, and orthopedic implants. The thrombogenic nature of such materials can cause serious complications in patients, and ultimately lead to functional failure. To date, there is no truly hemocompatible biomaterial surface. Nanostructured surfaces improve cellular interactions but there is a limited amount of information regarding their blood compatibility. In this study, the in vitro blood compatibility of four different surfaces (control, PCL; nanowire, NW; collagen immobilized control, cPCL; collagen immobilized nanowire, cNW) were investigated for their use as interfaces for blood-contacting implants. The results presented here indicate enhanced in vitro blood compatibility of nanowire surfaces compared control surfaces. Although there were no significant differences in leukocyte adhesion, there was a decrease in platelet adhesion on NW surfaces. Scanning electron microscopy images showed a decrease in platelet/leukocyte complexeson cNW surfaces and no apparent complexes were formed on NW surfacescompared to PCL and cPCL surfaces. The increase in these complexeslikely contributed to a higher expression of specific markers forplatelet and leukocyte activation on PCL and cPCL surfaces. No significantdifferences were found in contact and complement activation on anysurface. Further, thrombin antithrombin complexes were significantlyreduced on NW surfaces. A significant increase in hemolysis and fibrinogenadsorption was identified on PCL surfaces likely caused by its hydrophobicsurface. This work shows the improved blood-compatibility of nanostructuredsurfaces, identifying this specific nanoarchitecture as a potentialinterface for promoting the long-term success of blood-contactingbiomaterials.
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