Synthesis and characterization of CREKA-targeted polymers for the disruption of fibrin gel matrix propagation

Recently, efforts to control the propagation of the fibrin gel matrix (FGM) are under investigation as a means of limiting the formation of post-surgical adhesions (PSAs). A series of polymeric biomaterials based on block co-polymers of methacrylic acid (MA) and methoxypolyethylene glycol methacrylate (PEGMA) have been synthesized and characterized in order to study the impact of molecular architecture on the performance of these materials in suppressing FGM development. A robust synthetic strategy has been developed to facilitate the well controlled variation of numerous structural properties, including the relative size of each polymer block, the total polymer length, and the length of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chain length, and to incorporate the fibrin-targeting pentapeptide cysteine-arginine-glutamic acid-lysine-alanine (CREKA). Preliminary investigations, based on quartz crystal microgravimetry (QCM), indicate the importance of molecular architecture in modulating the FGM propagation from model surfaces.