Human vascular smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells cocultured on polyglycolic acid (70/30) scaffold in tissue engineered vascular graft.
BACKGROUND
Current prosthetic, small diameter vascular grafts showing poor long term patency rates have led to the pursuit of other biological materials. Biomaterials that successfully integrate into surrounding tissue should match not only the mechanical properties of tissues, but also topography. Polyglycolic acid (70/30) has been used as synthetic grafts to determine whether human vascular smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells attach, survive and secrete endothelin and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1alpha (6-keto-PGF1alpha).


METHODS
Endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells were isolated from adult human great saphenous vein. They were seeded on polyglycolic acid scaffold in vitro separately to grow vascular patch (Groups A and B respectively) and cocultured in vitro to grow into vascular patch (Group C). Smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells were identified by immunohistochemical analysis and growth of cells on polyglycolic acid was investigated using scanning electron microscopy. The levels of endothelin and 6-keto-PGF1alpha in the culturing solutions were examined by radioimmunology to measure endothelial function.


RESULTS
Seed smooth muscle cells adhered to polyglycolic acid scaffold and over 28 days grew in the interstices to form a uniform cell distribution throughout the scaffold. Then seed endothelial cells formed a complete endothelial layer on the smooth muscle cells. The levels of endothelin and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha in the culturing solution were (234 +/- 29) pg/ml and (428 +/- 98) pg/ml respectively in Group C and (196 +/- 30) pg/ml and (346 +/- 120) pg/ml in Group B; both significantly higher than in Groups A and D (blank control group, all P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Cells could be grown successfully on polyglycolic acid and retain functions of secretion. Our next step is to use human saphenous vein smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells to grow tubular vascular grafts in vitro.
Wen
Shao-jun
SJ
Central Experiment Unit, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University and Beijing Institute of Heart Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing 100029, China. wenshaojun@yahoo.com.cn
Zhao
Li-min
LM
Wang
Shen-guo
SG
Li
Jing-xing
JX
Chen
Hua-ying
HY
Liu
Jie-lin
JL
Liu
Ya
Y
Luo
Yi
Y
Changizi
Roo
R
D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha / Q000032:analysis; D000328:Adult; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology*; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000502:physiology*; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000166:cytology*; D023822:Tissue Engineering
D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha