title: Biodegradable Elastomers with Antioxidant and Retinoid-like Properties.
abstract: Intimal hyperplasia (IH) is a type of scarring that involves complex pathophysiological responses of the vasculature to injury, including overproliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), adventitial fibroblasts, and the activation of macrophages. The objective of this research was to develop a biodegradable polymer with intrinsic properties that would combat the cellular processes that contribute to IH. Citric acid, 1,8-octanediol, and all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) were incorporated into a polyester network via a condensation reaction to form the thermoset poly(1,8-octamethylene-citrate-co-retinate) (POCR). POCR was chemically characterized and assessed for the presence of antioxidant and retinoidlike properties.HNMR and ATR-FTIR confirmed the incorporation of atRA into the backbone of the polymer network. POCR was able to scavenge radicals and inhibit lipid peroxidation. The proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells cultured on POCR were inhibited, whereas endothelial cell proliferation and migration were not. These results are consistent with the biological effects of atRA. These results are the first to demonstrate the synthesis of a polymer with intrinsic antirestenotic properties for potential use in the fabrication of vascular devices such as stents and vascular grafts.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Engineering Department, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Lith
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Engineering Department, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.
authors.forename: Xuesong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Engineering Department, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States; Department of Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States; Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States; Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology in Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States; International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ameer
keywords: all-trans retinoic acid; citric acid; elastomer; intimal hyperplasia; vitamin A