The effects of surface chemistry and adsorbed proteins on monocyte/macrophage adhesion to chemically modified polystyrene surfaces.

Monocytes and macrophages play critical roles in inflammatory responses to implanted biomaterials. Monocyte adhesion may lead to macrophage activation and the foreign body response. We report that surface chemistry, preadsorbed proteins, and adhesion time all play important roles during monocyte adhesion in vitro. The surface chemistry of tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS), polystyrene, Primaria, and ultra low attachment (ULA) used for adhesion studies was characterized by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis. Fibrinogen adsorption measured by (125)I-labeled fibrinogen was the lowest on ULA, higher on TCPS, and the highest on polystyrene or Primaria. Monocyte adhesion on protein preadsorbed surfaces for 2 h or 1 day was measured with a lactate-dehydrogenase method. Monocyte adhesion decreased over time. The ability of preadsorbed proteins to modulate monocyte adhesion was surface dependent. Adhesion was the lowest on ULA, higher and similar on TCPS or polystyrene, and the highest on Primaria. Monocyte adhesion on plasma or fibrinogen adsorbed surfaces correlated positively and linearly to the amount of adsorbed fibrinogen. Preadsorbed fibronectin, immunoglobulin G, plasma, or serum also promoted adhesion compared with albumin preadsorbed or uncoated surfaces. Overall, biomaterial surface chemistry, the type and amount of adsorbed proteins, and adhesion time all affected monocyte adhesion in vitro. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 57: 336-345, 2001