Covalent VEGF protein immobilization on resorbable polymeric surfaces

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) type protein, a potent angiogenic effector molecule, was successfully covalently immobilized onto the surfaces of the resorbable polymers poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) and poly(e-caprolactone) through a three-step strategy. The surfaces were first covalently grafted with poly(acrylic acid) using non-destructive and solvent-free vapor-phase grafting. A diamine spacer was coupled to the carboxylic acid pendant groups on the graft chains using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide hydrochloride/N-hydroxysuccinimide chemistry and VEGF was finally covalently attached to the amine linkers. The chemistry and topography of the modified substrates were quantitatively and qualitatively verified with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, UV–VIS, scanning electron microscopy, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.