Electrochemical synthesis of electroactive polymers for drugrelease for bio scaffolds.

Abstract: Stem cell based therapy has the potential to treat several severe diseases; Parkinson’s disease is one well- known example. Transplantation of stem cell derived cells into animal models is unfortunately often associated with tumour formation or- uncontrolled growth of the transplanted cells. One strategy to suppress this tumour formation might be to induce differentiation of these cells, which in turn would prevent them from dividing.   Neuroblastoma tumors are known to demonstrate the complete transition from an undifferentiated state to a completely harmful, differentiated appearance and derived cells can be used as a model for cell differentiation and tumor suppression.   In this Master Thesis’s the conducting polymers PEDOT and PPy, that upon formation can be doped with biologically active compounds which in- turn can be released in a controlled manner through electrical stimulation, were formed together with various drugs (e.g. Methotrexate and Mycophenolic Acid), here shown to have effect on Neuroblastoma cells. Neuroblastoma- derived cell line SH- SY5Y was used as a model system for neuronal differentiation and tumour inhibition. Release profiles of neuroblastoma active drugs following electrical stimulation were evaluated and the effects from electrochemical processes on simultaneously growing SH- SY5Y cells were investigated.   The methods to deposit and release the drugs were based on electropolymerization and electrochemically controlled release, respectively. Controlled release of various drugs and compounds was monitored using Vis- and UV- spectroscopy and on some occasions using HPLC.   The electrochemically controlled release of a biologically inactive compound that can be used as a negative control for electrochemical release in future experiments was shown and that resulting electrochemical processes have negative effects on neuroblastoma cell growth.