Electrospun PLGA/SF Modified with Electrosprayed Microparticles: A Novel Biomimetic Composite Scaffold for Vascular Tissue Engineering

REDV Peptide Conjugated Nanoparticles/pZNF580 Complexes for Actively Targeting Human Vascular Endothelial Cells

Herein, we demonstrate that the REDV peptide modified nanoparticles (NPs) can serve as a kind of active targeting gene carrier to condensate pZNF580 for specific promotion of the proliferation of endothelial cells (ECs). First, we synthesized a series of biodegradable amphiphilic copolymers by ring-opening polymerization reaction and graft modification with REDV peptide. Second, we prepared active targeting NPs via self-assembly of the amphiphilic copolymers using nanoprecipitation technology. After condensation with negatively charged pZNF580, the REDV peptide modified NPs/pZNF580 complexes were formed finally. Due to the binding affinity toward ECs of the specific peptide, these REDV peptide modified NPs/pZNF580 complexes could be recognized and adhered specifically by ECs in the coculture system of ECs and human artery smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in vitro. After expression of ZNF580, as the key protein to promote the proliferation of ECs, the relative ZNF580 protein level increased from 15.7% to 34.8%. The specificity in actively targeting ECs of the REDV peptide conjugated NPs/pZNF580 complexes was still retained in the coculture system. These findings in the present study could facilitate the development of actively targeting gene carriers for the endothelialization of artificial blood vessels.

CREDVW-Linked Polymeric Micelles As a Targeting Gene Transfer Vector for Selective Transfection and Proliferation of Endothelial Cells

Nowadays, gene transfer technology has been widely used to promote endothelialization of artificial vascular grafts. However, the lack of gene vectors with low cytotoxicity and targeting function still remains a pressing challenge. Herein, polyethylenimine (PEI, 1.8 kDa or 10 kDa) was conjugated to an amphiphilic and biodegradable diblock copolymer poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (mPEG-b-PLGA) to prepare mPEG-b-PLGA-g-PEI copolymers with the aim to develop gene vectors with low cytotoxicity while high transfection efficiency. The micelles were prepared from mPEG-b-PLGA-g-PEI copolymers by self-assembly method. Furthermore, Cys-Arg-Glu-Asp-Val-Trp (CREDVW) peptide was linked to micelle surface to enable the micelles with special recognition for endothelial cells (ECs). In addition, pEGFP-ZNF580 plasmids were condensed into these CREDVW-linked micelles to enhance the proliferation of ECs. These CREDVW-linked micelle/pEGFP-ZNF580 complexes exhibited low cytotoxicity by MTT assay. The cell transfection results demonstrated that pEGFP-ZNF580 could be transferred into ECs efficiently by these micelles. The results of Western blot analysis showed that the relative ZNF580 protein level in transfected ECs increased to 76.9%. The rapid migration of transfected ECs can be verified by wound healing assay. These results indicated that CREDVW-linked micelles could be a suitable gene transfer vector with low cytotoxicity and high transfection efficiency, which has great potential for rapid endothelialization of artificial blood vessels.

Surface modification and endothelialization of biomaterials as potential scaffolds for vascular tissue engineering applications

This review highlights the recent developments of surface modification and endothelialization of biomaterials in vascular tissue engineering applications.