Enabling non-invasive assessment of an engineered endothelium on ePTFE vascular grafts without increasing oxidative stress.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in combination with contrast enhancement is a potentially powerful tool to non-invasively monitor cell distribution in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The most commonly used contrast agent for cell labeling is super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs). However, uptake of SPIONs triggers the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells often leading to a pro-inflammatory phenotype. The objective of this study was to develop a labeling system to non-invasively visualize an engineered endothelium in vascular grafts without creating excessive oxidative stress. Specifically, we investigated: (1) chitosan-coated SPIONs (CSPIONs) as an antioxidant contrast agent for contrast enhancement, and (2) poly(1,8-octamethylene citrate) (POC) as an antioxidant interface to support cell adhesion and function of labeled cells on the vascular graft. While SPION-labeled endothelial cells (ECs) experienced elevated ROS formation and altered cell morphology, CSPION-labeled ECs cultured on POC-coated surfaces mitigated SPION-induced ROS formation and maintained EC morphology, phenotype, viability and functions. A monolayer of labeled ECs exhibited sufficient contrast with T2-weighed MR imaging. CSPION labeling of endothelial cells in combination with coating the graft wall with POC allows non-invasive monitoring of an engineered endothelium on ePTFE grafts without increasing oxidative stress.
Biomedical Engineering Department, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60201, USA; Department of Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
Bin
B
Jiang
Biomedical Engineering Department, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60201, USA.
Louisiane
L
Perrin
Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences (IBiS) Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60201, USA.
Dina
D
Kats
Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60201, USA.
Thomas
T
Meade
Biomedical Engineering Department, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60201, USA; Department of Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. Electronic address: g-ameer@northwestern.edu.
Guillermo
G
Ameer
D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D019343:Citric Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000737:chemistry*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
D000975:Antioxidants; D003287:Contrast Media; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D019343:Citric Acid; D048271:Chitosan
Chitosan; Endothelial cells (ECs); Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); Poly (1,8-octanediol-co-citric acid) (POC); Reactive oxygen species (ROS); Super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs)