Cell response of cultured macrophages, fibroblasts, and co-cultures of Kupffer cells and hepatocytes to particles of short-chain poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid]

The known biodegradability of poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid] (PHB) in certain biological environments has lead to its proposed use as biodegradable, biocompatible polymer. Recently, a new, rapidly biodegradable blockcopolymer has been synthesized that contains crystalline domains of PHB blocks. During degradation of these polymers, the PHB-domains are transformed in a first step into small crystalline particles of short-chain PHB. Therefore, particles of short-chain poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid] (M_n≈2300) (PHB-P), as possible degradation products, are investigated here for their effects on the viability and activation of macrophages, fibroblasts, and co-cultures of rat Kupffer cells and rat hepatocytes. Results obtained in the present study indicate that phagocytosis of particles of short-chain poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid] at high concentrations (higher than 10 μg/ml) is dosedependent and associated with cell damage in macrophages but not in fibroblasts. At low concentrations, particles of PHB-P also failed to activate macrophages and are biocompatible. Besides the PHB phagocytosis by Kupffer cells, treatment of co-cultures of Kupffer cells and hepatocytes with 1 μg PHB/ml showed neither cytotoxic (lactate dehydrogenase activity) effects nor any change in albumin secretion by hepatocytes.