Abstract

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent regulator for liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy. However, intravenous delivery of VEGF has yielded limited success in promoting the regeneration of remnant liver. Here we report a new approach to locally deliver recombinant VEGF from an electrospun poly-ε-caprolactone nanofiber mesh and its effect on improving rat liver regeneration after 70% hepatectomy. After applying the VEGF-releasing nanofiber mesh to the remnant liver lobes following hepatectomy in rats, the fractions of proliferating hepatocytes increased markedly at 48 h and 72 h in comparison with the control group receiving nanofiber meshes without VEGF. The expression of endogenous VEGF in liver tissue was also higher in the VEGF-nanofiber group than those in the control group. These results demonstrate that biodegradable nanofiber meshes offer a convenient and effective approach for local and sustained delivery of VEGF to the remnant liver following partial hepatectomy.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.