Immobilization of
DNA to the surface of poly(
ethylene terephthalate) (PET) microfibers with a high specific surface area of 0.83 m(2)/g was carried out to give the fiber surface an affinity for anti-
DNA antibody. Following
ozone oxidation, the microfibers were subjected to graft polymerization of monomers including
acrylic acid, methacryloyloxyethyl
phosphate,
N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, N-vinylformamide, and
glycidyl methacrylate.
Calf thymus DNA was immobilized to the grafted fiber surface through either covalent binding or polyion complexation with the grafted
polymer chains. The highest surface density of
DNA immobilized (0.6 microg/cm(2)) was obtained when
DNA was immobilized through formation of phosphodiester linkage between the
hydroxyl group of
DNA and the
phosphate group in grafted poly(methacryloyloxyethyl
phosphate) using 1,1-carbonyldiimidazole, or through polyion complexation between the anionic
DNA and the cationic grafted
poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) chains. Batch adsorption of anti-
DNA antibody to the grafted PET fibers with and without
DNA immobilized on their surface was conducted with serum obtained from
systemic lupus erythematosus model mice. The
DNA-immobilized PET fibers exhibited a higher adsorption capacity and specificity than the others. In addition, the
DNA-immobilized fibers effectively adsorbed human anti-
DNA antibody.