Enhanced cellular responses of vascular endothelial cells on poly-γ-glutamic acid/PU composite film treated with microwave-induced plasma at atmospheric pressure

Poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA), which is produced by microbial fermentation, is a biodegradable, hydrophilic and non-toxic biomaterial. γ-PGA has many carboxyl groups that makes it a polyanionic biopolymer with swelling ability, biocompatibility and anticoagulant activity. On the other hand, few studies have examined the effect of γ-PGA on the cellular activity of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The present study evaluated the effects of γ-PGA and fabricated γ-PGA/PU composite films on the attachment and proliferation of HUVECs after treatment with microwave plasma at atmospheric pressure. The results confirmed that γ-PGA is capable of increasing the proliferation and differentiation of HUVECs to form capillary tubes with enhanced alignment and organization. Moreover, the microwave plasma modified γ-PGA/PU composite film was more hydrophilic and the surface roughness was enhanced. In addition, the attachment and proliferation of the HUVECs were increased by the plasma treatment. These results suggest that γ-PGA and surface modified γ-PGA/PU composite can be applied as bioactive and biocompatible materials in vascular tissue engineering but further testing of γ-PGA and γ-PGA/PU composite films will be needed to confirm the potential effects for use in vascular applications. [InlineMediaObject not available: see fulltext.]