title: A phosphorylcholine-modified chitosan polymer as an endothelial progenitor cell supporting matrix.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to develop a new biopolymer to increase endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) survival and amplification. As a cell culture platform, bone marrow-derived cells (BMDC) were used to investigate the biocompatibility of chitosan-phosphorylcholine (CH-PC). On CH-PC, BMDC were found in colonies with a mortality rate similar to that of fibronectin (FN), the control matrix. Adhesion/proliferation assays demonstrated a greater number of BMDC on CH-PC after 7 days with an amplification phase occurring during the second week. Difference in adhesion mechanisms between (CH-PC) and the control FN matrix suggest distinctive cell retention ability. Confocal microscopy analyses confirmed that (CH-PC) supported the survival/differentiation of endothelial cells. Moreover, flow cytometry analyses demonstrated that, (CH-PC) increased the percentage of progenitor cells (CD117(+)CD34(+)) (7.1 ± 0.8%, FN: 4.1 ± 0.8%) and EPC (CD117(+)CD34(+)VEGFR-2(+)CD31(+)) (2.33 ± 0.6%, FN: 0.25 ± 0.1%), while the mesenchymal stem cell fraction (CD44(+)CD106(+)CD90(+)) was decreased (0.07 ± 0.01%, FN: 0.55 ± 0.22%). Polymeric substrate CH-PC might provide a suitable surface to promote the amplification of EPC for future vascular therapeutic applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Research Center, Montreal Heart Institute, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, (Quebec) H1T 1C8, Canada.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tardif
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cloutier
authors.forename: Zhimei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lemieux
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: St-Denis
authors.forename: Françoise M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Winnik
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Tanguay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010767:Phosphorylcholine / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011108:Polymers; D010767:Phosphorylcholine; D048271:Chitosan