Fabrication and In Vivo Evaluation of the Electrospun Small Diameter Vascular Grafts Composed of Elastin/PLGA/PCL and Heparin-VEGF

Abstract

Vascular scaffolds made of synthetic materials have been successfully used for many years for the revascularization of blood vessels with inner diameters >= 6 mm. However, small diameter vascular substitutes (<5 mm) have shown poor patency rates because of the occurrence of thrombosis. In this study, we investigated small diameter(similar to 3 mm) vascular grafts composed of elastin, poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid : PLGA) and polycaprolactone (PCL) fabricated by electrospinning techniques. In addition, heparin and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were added to the scaffolds to prevent thrombosis on the target incision and promote endothelial cell growth on the surface of scaffolds. The arterial grafts of electrospun elastin/PLGA/PCL vascular prostheses in Sprague-Dawley rats were found to improve the recovery of the incised blood vessel function by promoting migration, attachment and proliferation of endothelial cells onto the vascular scaffolds, thus exploring the potential of electrospun polymer scaffold in vascular graft engineering.Sell SA, 2009, ADV DRUG DELIVER REV, V61, P1007, DOI 10.1016/j.addr.2009.07.012Zhang S, 2009, J BIOMED MATER RES A, V90A, P671, DOI 10.1002/jbm.a.32136QIU RX, 2009, BIOMED MATER, V4, P44105BRADFORD MM, 1976, ANAL BIOCHEM, V72, P248LEE SK, 1989, BIOMATERIALS, V29, P2008ITO N, 1999, ANGIOGENESIS, V3, P158Li WJ, 2002, J BIOMED MATER RES, V60, P613, DOI 10.1002/jbm.10167Cheng ZY, 2004, BIOMATERIALS, V25, P1991, DOI 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2003.08.038Jeong SI, 2005, BIOMATERIALS, V26, P1405, DOI 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2004.04.036Ma ZW, 2005, BIOMATERIALS, V26, P2527, DOI 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2004.07.026Takahashi H, 2005, CLIN SCI, V109, P227, DOI 10.1042/CS20040370Heydarkhan-Hagvall S, 2008, BIOMATERIALS, V29, P2907, DOI 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2008.03.034Choi JS, 2008, BIOMATERIALS, V29, P2899, DOI 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2008.03.031Corey JM, 2008, ACTA BIOMATER, V4, P863, DOI 10.1016/j.actbio.2008.02.020Lee SJ, 2007, J BIOMED MATER RES A, V83A, P999, DOI 10.1002/jbm.a.31287Daamen WF, 2007, BIOMATERIALS, V28, P4378, DOI 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2007.06.025Stitzel J, 2006, BIOMATERIALS, V27, P1088, DOI 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2005.07.048Lee SJ, 2006, BIOMATERIALS, V27, P3466, DOI 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2006.01.059Sell SA, 2006, BIOMED MATER, V1, P72, DOI 10.1088/1748-6041/1/2/004Olsson AK, 2006, NAT REV MOL CELL BIO, V7, P359, DOI 10.1038/nrm1911ANGST AD, 2006, MACROMOL BIOSCI, V6, P623Ashikari- Hada S, 2005, J BIOL CHEM, V280, P31508, DOI 10.1074/jbc.M414581200