title: Bioelectronics meets nanomedicine for cardiovascular implants: PEDOT-based nanocoatings for tissue regeneration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An exciting direction in nanomedicine would be to analyze how living cells respond to conducting polymers. Their application for tissue regeneration may advance the performance of drug eluting stents by addressing the delayed stent re-endothelialization and late stent thrombosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The suitability of poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) thin films for stents to promote cell adhesion and proliferation is tested in correlation with doping and physicochemical properties. PEDOT doped either with poly (styrenesulfonate) (PSS) or tosylate anion (TOS) was used for films' fabrication by spin coating and vapor phase polymerization respectively. PEGylation of PEDOT: TOS for reduced immunogenicity and biofunctionalization of PEDOT: PSS with RGD peptides for induced cell proliferation was further applied. Atomic Force Microscopy and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry were implemented for nanotopographical, structural, optical and conductivity measurements in parallel with wettability and protein adsorption studies. Direct and extract testing of cell viability and proliferation of L929 fibroblasts on PEDOT samples by MTT assay in line with SEM studies follow.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All PEDOT thin films are cytocompatible and promote human serum albumin adsorption. PEDOT:TOS films were found superior regarding cell adhesion as compared to controls. Their nanotopography and hydrophilicity are significant factors that influence cytocompatibility. PEGylation of PEDOT:TOS increases their conductivity and hydrophilicity with similar results on cell viability with bare PEDOT:TOS. The biofunctionalized PEDOT:PSS thin films show enhanced cell proliferation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The application of PEDOT polymers has evolved as a new perspective to advance stents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this work, nanomedicine involving nanotools and novel nanomaterials merges with bioelectronics to stimulate tissue regeneration for cardiovascular implants. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Organic Bioelectronics - Novel Applications in Biomedicine.
authors.affiliation: Lab for Thin Films-Nanosystems and Nanometrology LTFN, Physics Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124, Greece.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Karagkiozaki
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Karagiannidis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gioti
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kavatzikidou
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Georgiou
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Georgaraki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Logothetidis
mesh_terms: D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / Q000737:chemistry*; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004582:Electronics, Medical / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods; D050997:Nanomedicine / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000379:methods; D017155:Wettability / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D011108:Polymers; D012709:Serum Albumin; C121383:poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)