Competitive adsorption of vitronectin with albumin, fibrinogen, and fibronectin on polymeric biomaterials

Abstract

Vitronectin (VN) was competitively adsorbed with human serum albumin (HSA), fibrinogen (FGN), and fibronectin (FN) from binary component mixtures in order to compare the relative affinities of these proteins for various polymer materials. Competitive adsorption was monitored by incubating radiolabeled protein solutions inside 0.125-in. i.d. tubing of the polymers, flushing with buffer, and measuring the adherent radioactivity. Adsorption experiments at equal mass concentrations of the competing proteins revealed that VN comprises at least 75% by weight of the adsorbed protein when competitively adsorbed with HSA and approximately 50% by weight when competitively adsorbed with FGN and FN on all surfaces except a poly(ethylene oxide)-based polyurethane where it comprised closer to 80 wt%. When VN was competitively adsorbed in the presence of increasing amounts of HSA, FGN, and FN, the amount of VN adsorbed on a weight basis was diminished the most by FGN. HSA had the least inhibitory effect at low bulk concentrations and FN had the weakest effect at higher bulk concentration levels. When HSA, FGN, and FN were competitively adsorbed in the presence of increasing amounts of VN, VN diminished their adsorption on a weight basis in the order: HSA greater than FN greater than FGN.