Polymer brushes that present side chain functional reactive groups are attractive platforms for the development of functional surface coatings. From the wide spectrum of possible postpolymerization modification reactions, thiol-based conjugation chemistries are particularly appealing as they can be performed reagent-less under mild conditions and can allow the site-selective conjugation of biomolecules. This manuscript reports a direct approach for the preparation of maleimide-functionalized polymer brushes. These brushes were obtained by surface-initiated atom transfer radical copolymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate and a furan-protected, maleimide containing monomer, followed by a thermally induced retro Diels−Alder reaction to unmask the maleimide groups. The feasibility of these brushes to serve as a platform for postpolymerization functionalization was explored in a series of model experiments using a variety of low molecular weight thiols, including a fluorescent dye and a thiol-modified biotin-derivative. The biotinylated brushes were subsequently used for the immobilization of streptavidin-coated quantum-dots. The copolymer brushes presented in this manuscript are attractive since they combine the nonbiofouling properties of the poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate monomer with the chemoselective reactivity of the maleimide containing monomer, which makes them an attractive platform, e.g., for the immobilization of biomolecules.

A new method for generating a surface density gradient of polymer chains is presented. A substrate-independent polymer deposition technique was used to coat materials with a chemical gradient based on plasma copolymerization of 1,7-octadiene and allylamine. This provided a uniform chemical gradient to which initiators for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) were immobilized. After surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP), poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) chains were grafted from the surface and the measured thickness profiles provided direct evidence for how surface crowding provides an entropic driving force resulting in chain extension away from the surface. Film thicknesses were found to increase with the position along the gradient surface, reflecting the gradual transition from collapsed to more extended surface-tethered polymer chains as the grafting density increased. The method described is novel in that the approach provides covalent linkages from the polymer coating to the substrate and is not limited to a particular surface chemistry of the starting material.

DNA biosensing requires high oligonucleotide binding capacity interface chemistries that can be tuned to maximize probe presentation as well as hybridization efficiency. This contribution investigates the feasibility of aldehyde-functionalized poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) brush-based interfaces for oligonucleotide binding and hybridization. These polymer brushes, which allow covalent immobilization of oligonucleotides, are prepared by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) of HEMA followed by a postpolymerization oxidation step to generate side chain aldehyde groups. A series of polymer brushes covering a range of film thicknesses and grafting densities was investigated with regard to their oligonucleotide binding capacity as well as their ability to support oligonucleotide hybridization. Densely grafted brushes were found to have probe oligonucleotide binding capacities of up to ∼30 pmol/cm(2). Increasing the thickness of these densely grafted brush films, however, resulted in a decrease in the oligonucleotide binding capacity. Less densely grafted brushes possess binding capacities of ∼10 pmol/cm(2), which did not significantly depend on film thickness. The oligonucleotide hybridization efficiencies, however, were highest (93%) on those brushes that present the lowest surface concentration of the probe oligonucleotide. These results highlight the importance of optimizing the probe oligonucleotide surface concentration and binding interface chemistry. The versatility and tunability of the PHEMA-based brushes presented herein makes these films a very attractive platform for the immobilization and hybridization of oligonucleotides.

AIM:To evaluate the therapeutic role of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) in a rat model of ceruleaninduced acute pancreatitis (AP). METHODS:Seventy male Wistar albino rats were divided into seven groups. Acute edematous pancreatitis was induced by subcutaneous cerulein injection (20 μg/kg) four times at 1-h intervals. CAPE (30 mg/kg) was given by subcutaneous injection at the beginning (CAPE 1 group) and 12 h after the last cerulein injection (CAPE 2 group). Serum amylase, lipase, white blood cell count, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels were measured, and pancreatic histopathology was assessed. RESULTS:In the AP group, amylase and lipase levels were found to be elevated and the histopathological evaluation showed massive edema and inflammation of the pancreas, with less fatty necrosis when compared with sham and control groups. Amylase and lipase levels and edema formation decreased significantly in the CAPE therapy groups (P < 0001); especially in the CAPE 2 group, edema was improved nearly completely (P = 0001). Inflammation and fatty necrosis were partially recovered by CAPE treatment. The pathological results and amylase level in the placebo groups were similar to those in the AP group. White blood cell count and TNF-α concentration was nearly the same in the CAPE and placebo groups.

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