Dopamine-assisted deposition of poly (ethylene imine) for efficient heparinization

Mussel-inspired self-polymerization of dopamine in the presence of catechols and amines can be used to form coatings on various substrates. In this work dopamine was co-polymerized with poly (ethylene imine) (PEI) to form coatings on 316L stainless steel (SS). The coating formation was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Compared with a pure polydopamine coating, such hybrid coating presented a higher ratio of nitrogen and increased zeta potential due to the introduction of PEI components. QCM measurement showed good affinity for heparin immobilization on the amine-rich surfaces. Moreover, the heparin-binding surface significantly suppressed platelet adhesion and activation. Further, the interaction with vascular cells, like endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) was also investigated. The heparin coating not only decreased the cytotoxicity of amines on ECs, but also significantly inhibited SMCs proliferation. These results showed that the hybrid coating allowed effective heparin immobilization, providing a promising platform for vascular devices modification.