Immobilized polyethylene oxide star molecules for bioapplications
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorEdward W. Merrill
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Abstract
A method for immobilizing polyethylene oxide (PEO) star molecules in the form of hydrogel layers and a product thereof are disclosed. The PEO star molecules are biocompatible and demonstrate non-thrombogenic properties. As such, the PEO star molecule layers have numerous biomedical applications, such as on contact lenses. The hydrogel layers contain a high percentage of terminal hydroxyl groups for attachment of affinity ligands and can be used for separating and purifying therapeutic proteins.
Claims20
A method for immobilizing polyethylene oxide (PEO) star molecules to a support surface to form a layer thereon, comprising the steps of:
- a) exposing an organic solution, comprising polyethylene oxide star molecules each of which consists essentially of a plurality of hydroxy-terminated polyethylene oxide chains attached to a divinyl benzene core, to a reagent to affix reagent groups to the hydroxy termini, said reagent groups permitting subsequent attachment of amino or thiol groups to the PEO chain ends by displacement, thereby forming activated polyethylene oxide star molecules with active reagent end groups;
- b) separating the activated polyethylene oxide star molecules with active reagent end groups from the organic solvent;
- c) dissolving the activated polyethylene oxide star molecules in an aqueous solution;
- and
- d) contacting the solution of step (c) with a support surface containing amino and/or thiol groups to covalently bind the reagent terminated star molecules, thereby immobilizing the reagent terminated star molecules in a dense layer to the support surface.
A method of separating and purifying a ligate, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a support surface having coated thereon, a layer comprising polyethylene oxide star molecules having a plurality of ligand-terminated polyethylene oxide chains attached to a divinyl benzene core;
- b) contacting a sample containing a ligate under conditions sufficient to bind the ligate to the ligand;
- c) removing any unbound ligates from the PEO star layer surface;
- d) adjusting ionic strength and/or pH of the sample to thereby remove the bound ligate from the PEO star layer;
- and
- e) collecting the bound ligates.
A biocompatible, non-thrombogenic layer, comprising immobilized polyethylene star molecules having a plurality of hydroxy-terminated polyethylene oxide chains attached to a polymeric core.
A contact lens having a covalently linked surface layer of immobilized polyethylene oxide star molecules having a plurality of hydroxy-terminated polyethylene oxide chains attached to a polymeric core.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.