Elastic Repulsion from Polymer Brush Layers Exhibiting High Protein Repellency

Hydrophilic poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) and poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) brush layers with different thicknesses and graft densities were prepared to construct a model surface to elucidate protein–surface interactions. In particular, we focused on the steric repulsion of hydrophilic polymer layers as one of the surface properties that strongly influence protein adsorption and employed force-versus-distance (f–d) curve measurements obtained via atomic force microscopy to quantitatively evaluate the steric repulsion force, which is also referred to as the “elastic repulsion energy.” We also analyzed direct interactions between the surface and proteins via the f–d curve, because these interactions trigger the protein-adsorption phenomenon. Protein–surface interactions were extremely suppressed at surfaces with high elastic repulsion energies and highly dense polymer brush structures, which is in contrast to those at surfaces with low elastic repulsion energies and low density of the grafted polymer layers. These results indicate that the elastic repulsion from the grafted polymer layer at the surface is an important parameter for controlling protein–surface interactions and protein adsorption phenomenon.