Biomimetic modification of silicone tubes using sodium nitrite-collagen immobilization accelerates endothelialization

Biomimetic coatings to increase endothelialization of blood-contacting materials in biomedical devices are promising to improve the biocompatibility of these devices. Although a stable extracellular matrix protein coating on a biomaterial's surface is a prerequisite for endothelial cell attachment, it also stimulates platelet adhesion. Therefore, antithrombotic additives, such as nitric oxide donors, to a stable protein coating might lead to successful endothelialization of a material's surface. We aimed to test whether immobilized bioactive nitrite and acidified nitrite-generating sodium nitrite-collagen conjugate on silicone tubes enhances endothelialization by increasing the number of endothelial cells as well as growth hormone production and by decreasing platelet adhesion. Stable collagen immobilization on acrylic acid-grafted silicone tubes decreased the water contact angle from 102° to 56°. Initial 25 µM sodium nitrite in conjugate resulted in maximal growth hormone production (2.5-fold increase) and endothelial cell number (1.8-fold increase) after 2 days. A 95% confluent endothelial cell monolayer on sodium nitrite-collagen conjugate coating was obtained after 6 days. Maximum (2.7-fold) inhibition of platelet adhesion was reached with initial 500 µM sodium nitrite in conjugate. Our data showing that sodium nitrite-collagen conjugate coating with 25-50 µM sodium nitrite on silicone tubes increases the number of endothelial cells attached and inhibits platelet adhesion suggest that this coating is highly promising for use in blood-contacting parts of biomedical devices. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 1311-1321, 2016.