Abstract 154: Clustered Vascular Endotelial Growth Factor Nanoparticles Biomaterial for the Treatment of Moyamoya Disease

Abstract

Introduction: Cerebrovascular ischemia poses a substantial neurological threat due to cerebral artery constriction. Innovative solutions, such as Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)-infused hydrogel biomaterials, have emerged. Hydrogels, mimicking the extracellular matrix, allow controlled VEGF delivery, prompting angiogenesis, tissue repair, and enhancing conditions like moyamoya disease. This non-invasive technique carries transformative potential. Hypothesis: Our hypothesis postulates that hyaluronic acid (HA) gels, with or without VEGF, can augment endothelial cell quantities and blood flow in fore-brain ischemic mice. Methods: We divided C57/B6 mice into four groups: control, vehicle (chronic ICA occlusion and stenosis), HA gel treatment, and Cluvena ( Cl uster VE GF Na noparticle) hydrogel treatment. Brain dissection, sectioning, and CD31 and DAPI staining were performed for cellular identification. Results: Following two weeks, CD31 staining unveiled diminished endothelial cell populations in ischemic animals, significantly differing from controls. HA gel effectively restored endothelial cell counts to control levels. DAPI analysis indicated ischemic animals displayed considerably fewer DAPI-stained cells, attesting to successful ischemia induction and ensuing damage. Biomaterial intervention revived cell counts, aligning with control conditions. Intriguingly, hydrogel-only treated animals closely mirrored Cluvena outcomes in CD31 counts. Conclusions: Therapeutic angiogenic biomaterials, whether incorporating VEGF or not, hold significant potential for ischemic conditions. Cluvena efficiently reinstated endothelial cell numbers, thus unveiling potential therapeutic avenues for moyamoya, an ischemic disease with related neurological disorders or symptoms. This minimally-invasive strategy bears the promise of revolutionizing the field of brain ischemic condition therapeutics.