Contact of blood with the surfaces of synthetic materials is associated with spontaneous protein adsorption, initiating platelet aggregation, the coagulation cascade, and the eventual development of a stable clot. Current therapy to inhibit implant-induced thrombosis is life-long administration of systemic anticoagulants. An alternative to the systemic administration of anticoagulant drugs...
Nisin, an antibacterial peptide proven to be an effective inhibitor of Gram-positive bacteria, was incorporated into novel block copolymer constructs and tested for retained antibacterial activity. Covalent coupling was achieved by chemical modification of the N-terminal isoleucine to introduce a thiol group. Thiolated nisin derivatives were then linked to poly[ethylene...
While hydrophobic surfaces coated with the poly[ethylene oxide]-poly[propylene oxide]-poly[ethylene oxide] (PEO-PPO-PEO) surfactant Pluronic® F108 are highly resistant to plasma protein adsorption, the antimicrobial peptide nisin has been observed to adsorb in multilayer quantities at such surfaces, and the PEO chains themselves suggested to inhibit nisin exchange by blood proteins. But...