title: Functional Modification of Electrospun Poly(ε-caprolactone) Vascular Grafts with the Fusion Protein VEGF-HGFI Enhanced Vascular Regeneration.
abstract: Synthetic artificial vascular grafts have exhibited low patency rate and severe neointimal hyperplasia in replacing small-caliber arteries (<6 mm) because of their failure to generate a functional endothelium. In this study, small-caliber (2.0 mm) electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) vascular grafts were modified with a fusion protein VEGF-HGFI which consists of the class I hydrophobin (HGFI) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), via hydrophobic interactions. Immunofluorescence staining with the anti-VEGF antibody showed that VEGF-HGFI formed a protein layer on the surface of fibers in the grafts. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and mechanical measurements showed that VEGF-HGFI modification had no effect on the structure and mechanical properties of PCL grafts. Blood compatibility tests demonstrated a lower level of fibrinogen (FGN) absorption, platelet activation, and aggregation on the VEGF-HGFI-modified PCL mats than that on the bare PCL mats. The hemolysis rate was comparable in both the modified and bare PCL mats. In vitro culture of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) demonstrated that VEGF-HGFI modification could remarkably enhance nitric oxide (NO) production, prostacyclin2(PGI2) release, and the uptake of acetylated low-density lipoprotein (Ac-LDL) by HUVECs. The healing characteristics of the modified grafts were examined in the replacement of rat abdominal aorta for up to 1 month. Immunofluorescence staining revealed that endothelialization, vascularization, and smooth muscle cell (SMC) regeneration were markedly improved in the VEGF-HGFI-modified PCL grafts. These results suggest that modification with fusion protein VEGF-HGFI is an effective method to improve the regeneration capacity of synthetic vascular grafts.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Qiuying
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Liqiang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Yiwa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Urban Transport Emission Control Research Centre, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Dengke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhi
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Shaoyang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Peixin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Center for Research and Development of Chinese Medicine, Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine , Tianjin 300193, China.
authors.forename: Tiechan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Center for Research and Development of Chinese Medicine, Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine , Tianjin 300193, China.
authors.forename: Siming
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Meifeng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Center for Research and Development of Chinese Medicine, Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine , Tianjin 300193, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Mingqiang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Deling
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5520-0769
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D012038:Regeneration; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
chemical_list: D011091:Polyesters; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C016240:polycaprolactone
keywords: PCL; fusion protein VEGF-HGFI; surface modification; vascular grafts; vascular regeneration