title: Highly aligned core-shell structured nanofibers for promoting phenotypic expression of vSMCs for vascular regeneration.
abstract: This study was designed to assess the efficacy of hyaluronan (HA) functionalized well-aligned nanofibers of poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) in modulating the phenotypic expression of vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs) for blood vessel regeneration. Highly aligned HA/PLLA nanofibers in core-shell structure were prepared using a novel stable jet electrospinning approach. Formation of a thin HA-coating layer atop each PLLA nanofiber surface endowed the uni-directionally oriented fibrous mats with increased anisotropic wettability and mechanical compliance. The HA/PLLA nanofibers significantly promoted vSMC to elongation, orientation, and proliferation, and also up-regulated the expression of contractile genes/proteins (e.g., α-SMA, SM-MHC) as well as the synthesis of elastin. Six weeks of in vivo scaffold replacement of rabbit carotid arteries showed that vascular conduits made of circumferentially aligned HA/PLLA nanofibers could maintain patency and promoted oriented vSMC regeneration, lumen endothelialization, and capillary formation. This study demonstrated the synergistic effects of nanotopographical and biochemical cues in one biomimetic scaffold design for efficacious vascular regeneration.
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China. yzzhang@dhu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Huihua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China. luxinwu@shsmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jinbao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China. yzzhang@dhu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China. yzzhang@dhu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Biyun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China. yzzhang@dhu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhepao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China. luxinwu@shsmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhiyou
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China. yzzhang@dhu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Bingcheng
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China. yzzhang@dhu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiangxin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China. luxinwu@shsmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xinwu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China. yzzhang@dhu.edu.cn and China Orthopedic Regenerative Medicine Group (CORMed), Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors.forename: Yanzhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004549:Elastin; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology*; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000166:cytology*; D057139:Nanofibers; D010641:Phenotype; D011091:Polyesters; D011817:Rabbits; D012038:Regeneration; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
chemical_list: D011091:Polyesters; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D004549:Elastin