Simple emulsion template method towards self-anticoagulant and high-efficiency carboxymethyl chitosan-based adsorbent for low-density lipoprotein from whole blood

In this study, carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS)-based double cross-linked network spheres, are constructed by an emulsion template method. The first crosslinking network comes from the chelation between the CMCS and zinc ions , while the second one is based on the covalent crosslinking of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonicacid (AMPS); and the as-prepared spheres are termed as ECMCS@AMPSs. The emulsion template method endows the ECMCS@AMPSs with large pore area (58.3 m 2 /g) and ultra-high porosity (92.3 %). Thanks to the heparin-mimicking functional groups of –OH, –COO - and -SO 3 - , the ECMCS@AMPSs show excellent anticoagulant properties without the activation of the complement system, contact system and platelets . Compared with the spheres without emulsification , the porous structure of the ECMCS@AMPSs results in a 5.3-fold increase in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) adsorption capacity in hypercholesterolemia plasma. Most importantly, in vitro simulated hemoperfusion experiment shows that the cumulative adsorption capacity of LDL by the ECMCS@AMPSs is as high as 41.66 mg/g in 1 h, which is approximately 4.2 times that of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). In conclusion, the ECMCS@AMPSs with self-anticoagulant and high-efficiency adsorption of LDL fabricated via simple emulsion template method have great clinical application prospects in the field of lipoprotein apheresis.