The effect of substrate molecular mobility on surface induced immune complement activation and blood plasma coagulation

Changing the length of the alkyl ester side chain in poly(alkyl methacrylates) provides a unique opportunity to systematically vary the mobility of the polymer chains, or in other words vary the glass transition temperature (Tg), without greatly affect the solid surface energy (γs) of the polymer. A series of poly(alkyl methacrylate) coatings was therefore analysed with regard to the human immune complement (IC) activation and the surface associated blood plasma coagulation cascade (CC) properties. For the IC and CC measurements we used a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) where we modified the chemistry of the sensor surface by applying 10–30 nm thick poly(alkyl methacrylate) coatings. The surface energy was calculated from water contact angles and small differences between the coatings were observed. The surface chemistry of the coatings, as determined with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), showed no deviation from expected compositions. Tapping mode atomic force microscopy (TM-AFM) measurements revealed that all coatings displayed similar morphology and the roughness was in the range of 0.7–0.9 nm. Increased polymer mobility correlated with a decrease in IC activation, measured as a decreased C3c deposition at the surface. The surface induced CC, measured as fibrin clot formation at the surface, was different between the different coatings but no correlation with molecular mobility was observed. Thus, the molecular mobility of the polymer chains had a major effect on both the IC and the CC and it seems that different aspects of the chemistry of the solid surface regulate activation of the IC and the CC.