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Zwitterionic polymer/polydopamine coating reduce acute inflammatory tissue responses to neural implants.
Asiyeh Golabchi1, Bingchen Wu1, Bin Cao1
1Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, USA; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, USA.
Biomaterials
|October 11, 2019
Summary
This study developed a novel zwitterionic coating for neural probes, significantly reducing brain inflammation and protein adsorption. This advancement promises to enhance the long-term performance of neural implants by minimizing tissue response.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Neuroscience
- Medical Devices
Background:
- Inflammatory responses to implanted neural electrodes limit device longevity.
- Zwitterionic polymers offer potent anti-fouling properties, reducing foreign body reactions.
- Developing effective coatings is crucial for improving neural implant performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create a stable, nanoscale anti-fouling coating for neural probes using zwitterionic poly (sulfobetaine methacrylate) (PSB) and polydopamine (PDA).
- To evaluate the coating's ability to reduce protein adsorption and cell adhesion.
- To assess the in vivo efficacy of the PDA-PSB coating in mitigating brain tissue inflammation around neural implants.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a PDA-PSB nanoscale coating on silicon-based neural probes.
- In vitro assessment of protein adsorption and fibroblast adhesion.
- In vivo implantation of coated probes into mouse brains.
- Immunohistochemical analysis of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), Iba-1, lectin, and immunoglobulin (IgG) to evaluate inflammatory response and blood-brain barrier integrity.
Main Results:
- PDA-PSB coating reduced protein adsorption by 89% and fibroblast adhesion by 86% compared to bare samples.
- Coated neural probes showed significantly decreased glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression, indicating reduced astrocyte reactivity.
- The coating also reduced microglia activation (Iba-1, lectin staining) and improved blood-brain barrier integrity (reduced IgG leakage).
Conclusions:
- The developed PDA-PSB anti-fouling coating effectively suppresses acute inflammatory brain tissue responses to neural implants.
- This zwitterionic coating demonstrates significant potential for enhancing the chronic performance and longevity of neural electrode devices.
- Further investigation is warranted to explore the long-term benefits of this coating in neural implant applications.
