Hemocompatibility and cytocompatibility of the hirudin-modified silk fibroin

Hirudin (Hir), a thrombin direct inhibitor, was used to modify a polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (PEG-DE) crosslinked regenerated silk fibroin (SF) material to improve hemocompatibility. Hemolysis characteristics, platelet adhesion, platelet activity, and plasma recalcification time were investigated using absorption spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, MTT analysis, and the time counting method. Hirudin could be grafted evenly to the silk fibroin, and the modified material was resistant to hemolysis at ratios of less than 0.5%. Scanning electron microscopy and MTT results showed that platelet adhesion and aggregation activity decreased after modificaton with trace amounts of hirudin, compared with PEG-DE crosslinked and ethanol-treated silk fibroin film. Plasma recalcification of PEG-DE crosslinked silk fibroin film was slower than with ethanol-treated material, and this increased slightly after hirudin modification. Furthermore, L929, HAVSMC, and HUVEC cells adhered to the modified material, grew well, and possessed high proliferation activity on SF/Hir blend films. This study suggests that hirudin could improve the anticoagulation properties of regenerated silk fibroin materials.