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Published on: June 30, 2018
Multilayered Thin Films from Boronic Acid-Functional Poly(amido amine)s.
Sry D Hujaya1, Johan F J Engbersen, Jos M J Paulusse
1Department of Controlled Drug Delivery, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands.
Phenylboronic acid-functional poly(amido amine) polymers form stable, biocompatible thin films with poly(vinyl alcohol) and chondroitin sulfate. These glucose-responsive films show promise for biomedical applications like drug-eluting stents.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Science
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Developing advanced materials for biomedical applications is crucial.
- Functional polymers offer tunable properties for specific uses.
- Layer-by-layer assembly is a versatile technique for thin film fabrication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize phenylboronic acid-functional poly(amido amine) (BA-PAA) polymers.
- To investigate the formation of multilayered thin films using BA-PAA with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and chondroitin sulfate (ChS).
- To evaluate the biocompatibility and responsiveness of these multilayered films with COS-7 cells.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of BA-PAA copolymers with varying side groups (DAB-BA-PAA, ABOL-BA-PAA).
- Fabrication of multilayered thin films via layer-by-layer assembly with PVA and ChS.
- Characterization of film thickness, stability, and responsiveness to reducing agents and glucose.
- In vitro biocompatibility assessment using COS-7 cell culture.
Main Results:
- PVA-based films were thin (~100 nm), while ChS-based films were thick (~600 nm) after 10 bilayers.
- All multilayers demonstrated stability under physiological conditions and responsiveness to reducing agents.
- PVA-based films exhibited glucose responsiveness at physiological pH (10-100 mM).
- The multilayered films promoted COS-7 cell attachment and proliferation, indicating good biocompatibility.
Conclusions:
- Boronic acid-functional poly(amido amine)s enable the creation of responsive, biocompatible thin films.
- These materials are suitable for biomedical applications, including drug-releasing surfaces on medical devices.
- The tunable nature of these films offers potential for advanced implantable technologies.

