Protein adsorption on low temperature isotropic carbon. III. Isotherms, competitivity, desorption and exchange of human albumin and fibrinogen

Abstract

In this paper we consider the adsorption of albumin and fibrinogen on low temperature isotropic carbon (LTIC). A subsequent paper considers the adsorption of other plasma proteins [Feng L, Andrade JD, Colloids and Surfaces (in press)]. Carbon fragments and silica plates were used as adsorbents. Adsorption was carried out by incubating the adsorbents in solutions of 125I-labelled and unlabelled proteins (single component system), or with buffer-diluted human plasma (multicomponent system). Adsorbed proteins then underwent displacement by buffer, by single protein solutions or by dilute plasma. Results show that the LTIC substrate adsorbs a large amount of proteins before saturation, which may be due to multilayer adsorption. LTIC also irreversibly holds adsorbed proteins against the exchange agents used; little adsorbed proteins can be displaced, even after a very short adsorption time. There is no preferential adsorption for either albumin or fibrinogen on LTIC from their binary solutions, suggesting that both proteins have high affinities for the surface. Such strong interactions between LTIC and proteins are not attributed to electrostatic interactions. On the other hand, protein adsorption on the silica surface is selective and reversible, with a much higher affinity for fibrinogen than albumin and an even higher affinity for some other plasma proteins. The paper also discusses the effect of sequential protein addition to a solution on the surface concentration and suppression of adsorption of both proteins in the presence of other plasma proteins. A very important conclusion is that the LTIC surface is very active towards proteins adsorption.