Enhanced adherence of human adult endothelial cells to plasma discharge modified polyethylene terephthalate

Human adult aortic endothelial cell attachment to polyethyleneterephthalate (PET as mylar film) was examined in vitro. PET was examined in both the unmodified form (PET-) and in a modified form (PET+) that had undergone plasma discharge surface modification (PDSM). These surfaces were compared to unmodified tissue culture polystyrene (PS-). The kinetics of attachment and the force of attachment using the rotating disc were determined as a function of surface and substrate protein applied to the surface. Four proteins--fibronectin, collagen I/III, collagen IV/V, and laminin--were added and compared to saline pretreatment. The most significant variable affecting attachment was the time of incubation. When corrected for time, PET+ demonstrated significantly superior attachment kinetics when compared to PET- in most cases. These kinetics were similar to those seen on PS-. Fibronectin precoating of the surface greatly enhanced attachment kinetics on PET+ and PS- but to a much lesser degree on PET-. The fibronectin effect was synergistic with PDSM, suggesting that PDSM enhances protein adsorption on the surface. The force of attachment was generally independent of incubation time and surface/substrate combination except for laminin precoating. Taken together, these data indicate that human endothelial cell adherence to PET may be significantly enhanced by PDSM and surface precoating with fibronectin. Attachment occurs rapidly and, once attached, the cells demonstrate a very firm attachment force capable of resisting shear stresses up to 90 dynes/cm2.