Latex Coating to Prevent Allergen Leaching

A project is proposed to develop reagents and methods for coating latex rubber devices to prevent leaching of allergenic proteins. Allergies to latex rubber proteins has become recognized as a serious problem in recent years. These allergic problems are partly due to increased exposure by medical personnel and patients resulting from increased use of latex gloves for protection from exposure to the AIDS virus and other infectious agents. Using hydrophilic photoreactive polymers that have been developed for use in preventing adsorption of proteins from solution onto surfaces, preliminary evidence has been obtained that leaching of latex allergens can be dramatically reduced (more than 90%) by coating the surface with such a polymer. This proposed project will focus on further development of reagents and coating methods to achieve maximum reduction of allergen leaching from latex. Photopolymers will be synthesized having various molecular weights, levels of photogroups and compositions. Both glove material and other latex products will be coated and then tested for extractable protein allergens by protein assays, electrophoresis, and immunoblotting methods. The goal is to reduce leaching of allergenic proteins to undetectable levels. A secondary goal is to achieve lubricity appropriate for the applications (i. e., donning lubricity without powder for gloves and wet lubricity for catheter applications) in addition to preventing protein leaching.