Microstructure and biological activity of sulfonated N-vinylpyrrolidone copolymers

Abstract

This article deals with the preparation, characterization, and in vitro evaluation of new copolymers based on functionalized N-vinylpyrrolidone bearing pendant sulfonic acid groups statistically or alternately distributed in the macromolecular chains. Statistical copolymers were obtained by free radical polymerization of N-vinylpyrrolidone and sulfonated N-vinylpyrrolidone ( r VP = 1.61; r VPSulf = 0.90) in water, and alternating copolymers were synthesized by free radical polymerization of N-vinylpyrrolidone or sulfonated N-vinylpyrrolidone with methyl maleate in N,N-dimethylformamide followed by hydrolysis of the resulting copolymers. The influence of these new materials on acidic fibroblast growth factor–mediated mitogenesis of fibroblasts demonstrated that sequence distribution (copolymer microstructure) plays a key role in the biological performance of these polymers. Alternating copolymers did not present biological activity, whereas statistical copolymers inhibited acidic fibroblast growth factor activity in a sulfonated N-vinylpyrrolidone dose-dependent manner.