Heparinized polyvinyl alcohol to specifically adsorb low-density lipoprotein from plasma

IntroductionA medical adsorbent for blood purification was developed to specifically adsorb low-density lipoprotein (LDL) from hypercholesterolemia patient’s plasma by covalently immobilizing heparin onto the surface of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with the couplant toluence-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI).MethodsWe used IR to demonstrate the success of covalently immobilizing heparin onto the surface, and investigated its adsorption of LDL, and primarily evaluated its hemo-compatibility using tests for platelet adhesion, the degree of platelet activation and a hemolysis test.Results(1) Heparin was successfully covalently immobilized onto the surface, the maximum amount of heparin immobilized on the surface of 1 g PVA–1799 granules was about 5 μg; (2) one optimal condition for adsorption of LDL from hyperlipidemia plasma was a pH within the range of 7.2∼9.5, accordingly the adsorptive ratio (adsorbent/g: plasma/L = 1:2) for LDL was about 70%; (3) it exhibited good hemo-compatibility.ConclusionThe adsorbent results in satisfactory adsorption of LDL with good hemo-compatibility; it could potentially be used as a blood purification material, and immobilization of heparin onto medical materials may be a way to develop an LDL-specific adsorbent for blood purification.