Atmospheric pressure plasma assisted immobilization of hyaluronic acid on tissue engineering PLA-based scaffolds and its effect on primary human macrophages

• Published in: Materials & design 2017-08, Vol.127, p.261-271
• Main Authors: Kudryavtseva, Valeriya, Stankevich, Ksenia, Gudima, Alexandu, Kibler, Elina, Zhukov, Yuri, Bolbasov, Evgeniy, Malashicheva, Anna, Zhuravlev, Mikhail, Riabov, Vladimir, Liu, Tengfei, Filimonov, Victor, Remnev, Gennady, Klüter, Harald, Kzhyshkowska, Julia, Tverdokhlebov, Sergei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cytokines; Hyaluronic acid (HA); Macrophages; Plasma; Polylactic acid (PLA); Tissue engineering scaffold (TES)
• ISSN: 0264-1275; 1873-4197
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2017.04.079

Bioactive polylactic acid based (PLA) scaffolds with hyaluronic acid immobilized on their surface by atmospheric pressure plasma assisted modification method were developed. By using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and wettability measurements it was shown that atmospheric pressure plasma treatment leads to the changes in surface chemical composition of the PLA-based scaffolds that resulted in an increased long-term hydrophilicity of the scaffolds surface. Scanning electron microscopy and mechanical studies revealed that the use of plasma for surface activation allows for the non-destructive immobilization of bioactive compounds like hyaluronic acid. The modified PLA-based scaffolds effect on the release of cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases by primary human monocyte-derived macrophages was investigated. The macrophages reaction to the scaffolds was donor-specific, however, the two best materials from immunological point of view were identified - plasma treated PLA-based scaffold and PLA-based scaffold with the least amount of immobilized hyaluronic acid. Both hyaluronic acid attachment and atmospheric pressure plasma treatment enhance PLA-based scaffolds biocompatibility. It was found that supernatants collected after the macrophages coculture with modified PLA-based scaffolds stimulate HUVECs' tube formation. The modified PLA-based scaffolds possess pro-angiogenic activity. Thus, our research offers a high-performing method for the creation of polymer-based tissue engineering scaffolds with modified bioactive surface. [Display omitted] •Polylactic acid based scaffolds with improved long-term hydrophilicity were produced.•Donor-specific reaction of macrophages to the modified polylactic acid based scaffolds was observed.•Polylactic acid based scaffolds coated with hyaluronic acid have enhanced biocompatibility and pro-angiogenic activity.