Hemocompatibility of promicing for ECMO high permeable polyacetylenes

A comprehensive study of hemocompatibility and gas permeability of 1,2-disubstituted polyacetylenes: poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) and poly(4-methyl-2-pentyne) was carried out. The polymers were synthesized based on 1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne and 4-methyl-2-pentynemonomers on the catalytic systems NbCl5 and NbCl5/n-Bu4Sn with formation of homopolymers containing 50 and 55% cis-units, respectively. The comparison of the obtained polyacetylenes and the thermoplastic polyolefin, poly(4-methyl-1-pentene), that currently is widely used as a thin-film coating of hollow fiber membranes for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation of blood (ECMO), was performed. The investigated polymers are highly hemocompatible as shown by morphofunctional status of blood cells analysis and tissue donors mesenchymal multipotent stromal bone marrow cells culture. In terms of hemocompatibility, poly(4-methyl-2-pentyne) was superior to poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) and was comparable to poly(4-methyl-1-pentene). The studied polyacetylenes were shown to be significantly more permeable on oxygen and carbon dioxide than poly(4-methyl-1-pentene): poly(1-trimethylsilyl- 1-propyne) is permeablein 320 and 400 times, poly(4-methyl-2-pentyne) is in 60 and 90 times, respectively. Such parameters can significantly reduce the contact area of membranes with blood and reduce the size of oxygenators. Since poly(4-methyl-2-pentyne) has the high gas permeability in combination with the hemocompatibility comparable to poly(4-methyl-1-pentene), this polymer can be recommended as a promising material of a selective membrane layer for ECMO technology.