title: Novel small-caliber vascular grafts with trimeric Peptide for acceleration of endothelialization.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Both rapid endothelialization and the prevention of intimal hyperplasia are essential to improve the patency of small-caliber vascular grafts (SCVGs). Using the peptide array based screening system, we identified the peptide CAG (cysteine-alanine-glycine), which has a high affinity for endothelial cells and a low adhesive property for smooth muscle cells (SMCs). In this article, we report an in vivo analysis of novel vascular grafts that were constructed with a biodegradable polymer (poly-ε-caprolactone [PCL]) containing CAG peptide.
  
  
  METHODS
  The novel SCVG, which measured 0.7 mm in diameter and 7 mm in length, was fabricated using the electrospinning technique. Carotid arterial replacement was performed on Sprague-Dawley rats using SCVGs with (group CAG) or without CAG (group C). Histologic and biochemical assessments were performed at 1, 2, and 6 weeks after implantation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ratio of endothelialization was significantly higher in group CAG compared with group C (CAG versus C, 64.4±20.0% versus 42.1±8.9% at 1 week; p=0.017; 98.2±2.3% versus 72.7±12.9% at 2 weeks; p=0.001; and 97.4±4.6% versus 76.7±5.4% at 6 weeks; p<0.001). Additionally, Western blot analysis showed that the level of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) at 1 week in group CAG was significantly higher than that in group C (CAG versus C, 1.20±0.37 versus 0.34±0.16; p=0.013), and that α-smooth muscle actin (ASMA) at 6 weeks in group CAG was significantly lower than that in group C (CAG versus C, 0.89±0.06 versus 1.25±0.22; p=0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The graft with CAG promoted rapid endothelialization and the potential for inhibition of intimal hyperplasia.
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
authors: Fumiaki
authors: F
authors: Kuwabara
authors: Yuji
authors: Y
authors: Narita
authors: Aika
authors: A
authors: Yamawaki-Ogata
authors: Kei
authors: K
authors: Kanie
authors: Ryuji
authors: R
authors: Kato
authors: Makoto
authors: M
authors: Satake
authors: Hiroaki
authors: H
authors: Kaneko
authors: Hideki
authors: H
authors: Oshima
authors: Akihiko
authors: A
authors: Usui
authors: Yuichi
authors: Y
authors: Ueda
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000818:Animals; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D002208:Caproates; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology*; D006965:Hyperplasia; D007783:Lactones; D008297:Male; D008904:Miniaturization; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000473:pathology*; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D002208:Caproates; D007783:Lactones; C121056:caprolactone