title: Control growth factor release using a self-assembled [polycation:heparin] complex.
abstract: The importance of growth factors has been recognized for over five decades; however their utilization in medicine has yet to be fully realized. This is because free growth factors have short half-lives in plasma, making direct injection inefficient. Many growth factors are anchored and protected by sulfated glycosaminoglycans in the body. We set out to explore the use of heparin, a well-characterized sulfated glycosaminoglycan, for the controlled release of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2). Heparin binds a multitude of growth factors and maintains their bioactivity for an extended period of time. We used a biocompatible polycation to precipitate out the [heparin:FGF-2] complex from neutral buffer to form a release matrix. We can control the release rate of FGF-2 from the resultant matrix by altering the molecular weight of the polycation. The FGF-2 released from the delivery complex maintained its bioactivity and initiated cellular responses that were at least as potent as fresh bolus FGF-2 and fresh heparin stabilized FGF-2. This new delivery platform is not limited to FGF-2 but applicable to the large family of heparin-binding growth factors.
authors.affiliation: Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: Blaine J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Zern
authors.forename: Hunghao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Yadong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006493:Heparin / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011073:Polyamines / Q000737:chemistry*; D000071228:Polyelectrolytes
chemical_list: D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D006493:Heparin; D011073:Polyamines; D000071228:Polyelectrolytes