Abstract
Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) such as atherosclerosis, where inflammation occurs in the blood vessel wall, are one of the major causes of death worldwide. Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs)-based treatment coupled with nanoparticles is considered to be a potential and promising therapeutic strategy for vascular regeneration. Thus, angiogenesis enhanced by nanoparticles is of critical concern. In this study, Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) incorporated with 43.5 ppm of gold (Au) nanoparticles was prepared for the evaluation of biological effects through in vitro and in vivo assessments. The physicochemical properties of PEG and PEG–Au nanocomposites were first characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometry (UV-Vis), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFMs). Furthermore, the reactive oxygen species scavenger ability as well as the hydrophilic property of the nanocomposites were also investigated. Afterwards, the biocompatibility and biological functions of the PEG–Au nanocomposites were evaluated through in vitro assays. The thin coating of PEG containing 43.5 ppm of Au nanoparticles induced the least platelet and monocyte activation. Additionally, the cell behavior of MSCs on PEG–Au 43.5 ppm coating demonstrated better cell proliferation, low ROS generation, and enhancement of cell migration, as well as protein expression of the endothelialization marker CD31, which is associated with angiogenesis capacity. Furthermore, anti-inflammatory and endothelial differentiation ability were both evaluated through in vivo assessments. The evidence demonstrated that PEG–Au 43.5 ppm implantation inhibited capsule formation and facilitated the expression of CD31 in rat models. TUNEL assay also indicated that PEG–Au nanocomposites would not induce significant cell apoptosis. The above results elucidate that the surface modification of PEG–Au nanomaterials may enable them to serve as efficient tools for vascular regeneration grafts.
Highlights
Blood vessels such as arteries, veins, and capillaries are necessary for blood flow in the human body [1]
We prepared Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) incorporated with 43.5 ppm of Au nanoparticles (PEG–Au 43.5 ppm) and compared it with pure PEG polymer, hypothesizing that the combination of PEG and 43.5 ppm of Au may improve both biocompatibility and the endothelial differentiation ability of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) through in vitro and in vivo assessments
The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra demonstrated the functional groups in Au nanoparticles, pure PEG, and PEG incorporated with 43.5 ppm of Au nanoparticles (Figure 1B)
Summary
Blood vessels such as arteries, veins, and capillaries are necessary for blood flow in the human body [1]. Vascular grafts have become the primary materials for use in patients with cardiac artery failure. Synthetic polymers such as Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) are reported to be safe vascular graft options for severe atherosclerosis [5]. A previous study has indicated that these vascular grafts tend to induce an atherosclerosis-like phenomenon in spite of showing success in graft replacement [6]. The reason for this may be attributed to lipid retention, which is influenced by the strong affinity of the hydrophobic PTFE polymer [7]. Various surface modification approaches have been of high concern and well investigated for purposes of improving the hemocompatibility and the endothelial differentiation capacity of the blood-contacting surface [10,11]
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