EFFECT OF CHEMICAL-STRUCTURE OF HYDROGELS ON THE ADHESION AND PHENOTYPIC CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN MONOCYTES SUCH AS EXPRESSION OF GALECTINSAND OTHER CARBOHYDRATE-BINDING SITES

The reactivity of diverse immune aspects to the presence of synthetic polymers represents one of the most important aspects of implantable d evice biocompatibility. In this report, we show the effect of the chem ical structure of a synthetic polymer support on monocyte adhesion and selected phenotypic characteristics in vitro as a model for the initi al steps of non-self-recognition of an implant. The extent of monocyte adhesion was significantly influenced by the support chemistry. The h ighest level of monocyte adhesion was observed on a surface copolymer of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate with dimethyl aminoethyl methacrylate r elative to results of experiments in which poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacr ylate) or the copolymer of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate with the sodium salt of methacrylic acid was used. Cell adhesion to the polymers test ed and to glass was accompanied by enhanced expression of the carbohyd rate-binding sites tested for asialoglycoprotein beta-galactosides suc h as galectins, beta-N-acetylgalactosamine, alpha-mannoside, specific lectin for heparin as well as the lymphokine-macrophage migration inhi bitory factor in the monocytes tested. These results suggest the impor tance of monocyte adhesion to the biomaterial surface for their develo pment into macrophages and further non-self-recognition of the implant ed device. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Limited. All rights reserved.