A synthetic polymer, poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine-co-n- stearyl methacrylate), stimulates insulin release from RINm5F insulinoma cells

Abstract

A water-soluble phospholipid-like polymer, poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine-co-n-stearyl methacrylate) (PMC18, average molecular weight = 4.3 × 104), at a concentration (0.5-5 mg/ml) showing no inhibition of cell proliferation, stimulated insulin release from RINm5F rat insulinoma cells in a concentration- and time-related manner. But poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) and other synthetic phospholipid-like polymers failed to stimulate insulin release.