Covalent Binding of Dexamethasone to Polyimide Improves Biocompatibility of Neural Implantable Devices.

ABSTRACT: Neural implants are widely used in prosthetic applications to interact with the peripheral nervous system, but their long-term functionality is compromised by foreign body reactions (FBR). Thanks to its high biocompatibility, polyimide poly (biphenyl dianhydride)-p-phenylenediamine (BPDA-PDA) represents a suitable material to fabricate ultrathin and ultra-flexible neural implants. This study explores the surface functionalization of BPDA-PDA, the electrically inert component of the neural implant. The novelty of this approach relies on the fact that dexamethasone (DEX covalently bound to BPDA-PDA, enabling its sustained release over a period of at least 9 weeks. In vitro assays demonstrate that this strategy reduce the production of pro-inflammatory markers in macrophages. In addition, the

SUBMITTER: Turrin G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12365622 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature