Preparation and characterization of protein resistant zwitterionic starches: The effect of substitution degrees

摘要

Zwitterionic polymers are known to possess excellent protein resistance due to high hydration capacity of their zwitterionic moieties. In this study, polysaccharide-based zwitterionic polymers 3-dimethyl(propyl) ammonium propanesulfonate starches (Z-starches) with different degrees of substitution of the zwitterionic moieties (DSZM) were synthesized successfully. The value of DSZM can be controlled exactly in the range of 0-0.46. The cytotoxicity of Z-starches with different DSZM was evaluated by an MTT assay, and the Z-starch with DSZM of 0.26 promoted cell proliferation when the concentration of this polymer solution was 1-25 mg/mL. The protein resistance and cell adhesion of Z-starch hydrogels were evaluated, and the amount of protein adsorption or cell adhesion on Z-starch hydrogels was decreased as the DSZM increased. The preliminary protein resistance and cell adhesion tests suggest that the Z-starches have potential applications in drug delivery carriers and coatings of implanted sensors where protein resistance is needed.