Evaluation of Platelet Activation and Adhesion on Teflon® Grafts
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases greatly affect the world today, with over 610,000 cases in the United States each year. These diseases can be alleviated with implants such as stents and grafts. However, there are many problems that may occur, such as platelet activation, adhesion, and aggregation. While platelet aggregation normally is beneficial in injury, adhesion to vascular implants can lead to thrombosis, the formation of blood clots. Blood clots may then travel to the brain, lungs, or heart, bursting and therefore causing serious injury and/or death. This project was done to evaluate platelet activation and adhesion on vascular grafts made of Teflon®, coated with PGMA (Polyglycidyl methacrylate) and HSA (Human Serum Albumin). We first cut the grafts into 2.5 cm diameter circles, then sterilized them using the plasma treater, coated them, and then sterilized using the ethylene oxide gas chamber. We then collected porcine blood and centrifuged to obtain our platelets. We transferred the platelets to a separate container, centrifuged them again to remove any non-platelet cells, suspended the platelets, and incubated them. We put the platelets in a twelve-well plate containing six graft samples and six collagen wells (the positive control), as well as buffer solutions. We then performed an LDH assay and found that there was a significant difference in absorbance levels between the collagen and grafts, meaning the platelets adhered to the samples. We also performed an ELISA test and found that there was minimal platelet activation, telling us that HSA did not affect platelet adhesion very much.
Evaluation of Platelet Activation and Adhesion on Teflon® Grafts
Founders Hall 250 B
Cardiovascular diseases greatly affect the world today, with over 610,000 cases in the United States each year. These diseases can be alleviated with implants such as stents and grafts. However, there are many problems that may occur, such as platelet activation, adhesion, and aggregation. While platelet aggregation normally is beneficial in injury, adhesion to vascular implants can lead to thrombosis, the formation of blood clots. Blood clots may then travel to the brain, lungs, or heart, bursting and therefore causing serious injury and/or death. This project was done to evaluate platelet activation and adhesion on vascular grafts made of Teflon®, coated with PGMA (Polyglycidyl methacrylate) and HSA (Human Serum Albumin). We first cut the grafts into 2.5 cm diameter circles, then sterilized them using the plasma treater, coated them, and then sterilized using the ethylene oxide gas chamber. We then collected porcine blood and centrifuged to obtain our platelets. We transferred the platelets to a separate container, centrifuged them again to remove any non-platelet cells, suspended the platelets, and incubated them. We put the platelets in a twelve-well plate containing six graft samples and six collagen wells (the positive control), as well as buffer solutions. We then performed an LDH assay and found that there was a significant difference in absorbance levels between the collagen and grafts, meaning the platelets adhered to the samples. We also performed an ELISA test and found that there was minimal platelet activation, telling us that HSA did not affect platelet adhesion very much.
