Alleviation of capsular formations on silicone implants in rats using biomembrane-mimicking coatings

• Published in: Acta biomaterialia 2014-10, Vol.10 (10), p.4217-4225
• Main Authors: Park, Ji Ung, Ham, Jiyeon, Kim, Sukwha, Seo, Ji-Hun, Kim, Sang-Hyon, Lee, Seonju, Min, Hye Jeong, Choi, Sunghyun, Choi, Ra Mi, Kim, Heejin, Oh, Sohee, Hur, Ji An, Choi, Tae Hyun, Lee, Yan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Actins - biosynthesis; Animals; Biocompatibility; Biomedical materials; Biomimetic Materials - chemistry; Biomimetic Materials - pharmacology; Breast Implants; Capsular contracture; Coated Materials, Biocompatible - chemistry; Coated Materials, Biocompatible - pharmacology; Coatings; Density; Female; Foreign body reaction; Formations; Materials Testing; Membranes, Artificial; Mice; NIH 3T3 Cells; Phosphorylcholine; Phosphorylcholine - analogs & derivatives; Phosphorylcholine - chemistry; Phosphorylcholine - metabolism; Polymethacrylic Acids - chemistry; Polymethacrylic Acids - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Silicone; Silicones; Silicones - chemistry; Silicones - pharmacology; Surface modification; Surgical implants; Transforming Growth Factor beta - biosynthesis
• ISSN: 1742-7061; 1878-7568
• DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2014.07.007

Despite their popular use in breast augmentation and reconstruction surgeries, the limited biocompatibility of silicone implants can induce severe side effects, including capsular contracture – an excessive foreign body reaction that forms a tight and hard fibrous capsule around the implant. This study examines the effects of using biomembrane-mimicking surface coatings to prevent capsular formations on silicone implants. The covalently attached biomembrane-mimicking polymer, poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC), prevented nonspecific protein adsorption and fibroblast adhesion on the silicone surface. More importantly, in vivo capsule formations around PMPC-grafted silicone implants in rats were significantly thinner and exhibited lower collagen densities and more regular collagen alignments than bare silicone implants. The observed decrease in α-smooth muscle actin also supported the alleviation of capsular formations by the biomembrane-mimicking coating. Decreases in inflammation-related cells, myeloperoxidase and transforming growth factor-β resulted in reduced inflammation in the capsular tissue. The biomembrane-mimicking coatings used on these silicone implants demonstrate great potential for preventing capsular contracture and developing biocompatible materials for various biomedical applications.