Faculty Bibliography

AIMS/OBJECTIVE:Restenosis has been the principal limitation of bare metal stents. Based upon the presumption that platelet and inflammatory cell recruitment initiate neointimal proliferation, we explored a novel polymer coating that reduces cell-stent interactions. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of poly(L-lysine)-graft-poly(ethyleneglycol) (PLL-g-PEG) adsorbed to stent surfaces to reduce neointimal hyperplasia in the porcine restenosis model. METHODS AND RESULTS/RESULTS:Seven animals were instrumented each with 2 stainless steel stents (15 mm length, 2.5-3.5 mm diameter), randomly implanted in 1 major epicardial coronary artery. One stent was dip-coated with PLL-g-PEG, whereas the other stent served as the uncoated control stent. All animals were sacrificed after 6 weeks for histological examination. Neointimal hyperplasia was significantly less (-51%) in the PLL-g-PEG-coated stents (1.15 +/- 0.59 mm2) than in the uncoated control stents (2.33 +/- 1.01 mm2; p < 0.001). Conversely, lumen size was larger in the PLL-g-PEG-coated stents (2.91 +/- 1.17 mm2) than in the uncoated stents (2.04 +/- 0.64 mm2; p < 0.001). High magnification histomorphologic examination revealed no signs of inflammation or thrombus formation in either stent group. CONCLUSIONS:Polymeric steric stabilization of stents with PLL-g-PEG significantly reduces neointimal hyperplasia in the porcine restenosis model. Reduction of cell-stent interactions mediated by PLL-g-PEG appear to improve biocompatibility of stainless steel stents without evidence of adverse inflammatory or prothrombotic effects.

Morphogenesis in tissue development and repair is guided by a variety of signals from the extracellular milieu, including growth factors that are sequestered in the extracellular matrix. Bioengineering approaches have been developed to mimic the natural interactions between growth factors and the extracellular matrix, by engineering biomolecules as novel growth factors and as novel matrix components.

Ligation of the integrin alpha(v)beta(3) in endothelial cells has been shown to be important for their survival. Such ligation induces signalling events merging into the Raf-Ras-ERK cascade that eventually induces activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NFkappaB), leading to its phosphorylation and nuclear translocation and thus inhibiting apoptosis. Here, the recombinant sixth immunoglobulin-like domain of cell adhesion molecules L1 (L1Ig6), a ligand for integrin alpha(v)beta(3), was explored as a component of vascular implant surfaces to initiate the NFkappaB-cell survival pathway. This supposition was supported. Specifically, NFkappaB-p65 was expressed in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and when stimulated on L1Ig6, the phosphorylated form was found in the nucleus in over 60% of the cells. NFkappaB was not translocated into the nucleus on a number of other extracellular matrix substrates examined or when fibroblasts were cultured on L1Ig6. NFkappaB phosphorylation and nuclear translocation could be inhibited by blocking ligation of alpha(v)beta(3) by L1Ig6 with an antibody recognizing alpha(v)beta(3), with a cyclic RGD peptide, and with soluble L1Ig6. Moreover, blocking of alpha(v)beta(3) interaction with L1Ig6 was correlated with induction of apoptosis. Thus, these experiments demonstrate that L1Ig6 may be useful as alpha(v)beta(3) ligand for the induction of endothelial survival pathways mediated by NFkappaB-p65.

Delivery of biodegradable nanoparticles to antigen-presenting cells (APCs), specifically dendritic cells (DCs), has potential for immunotherapy. This study investigates the delivery of 20, 45, and 100nm diameter poly(ethylene glycol)-stabilized poly(propylene sulfide) (PPS) nanoparticles to DCs in the lymph nodes. These nanoparticles consist of a cross-linked rubbery core of PPS surrounded by a hydrophilic corona of poly(ethylene glycol). The PPS domain is capable of carrying hydrophobic drugs and degrades within oxidative environments. 20 nm particles were most readily taken up into lymphatics following interstitial injection, while both 20 and 45nm nanoparticles showed significant retention in lymph nodes, displaying a consistent and strong presence at 24, 72, 96 and 120h post-injection. Nanoparticles were internalized by up to 40-50% of lymph node DCs (and APCs) without the use of a targeting ligand, and the site of internalization was in the lymph nodes rather than at the injection site. Finally, an increase in nanoparticle-containing DCs (and other APCs) was seen at 96h vs. 24h, suggesting an infiltration of these cells to lymph nodes. Thus, PPS nanoparticles of 20-45nm have the potential for immunotherapeutic applications that specifically target DCs in lymph nodes.

Despite the rapidly increasing number of publications on the fabrication and use of micro-patterns for cell studies, comparatively little is know about the long-term stability of such patterns under cell culture conditions. Here, we report on the long-term stability of cellular patterns created by three different patterning techniques: selective molecular assembly patterning, micro-contact printing and molecular assembly patterning by lift-off. We demonstrate that although all three techniques were combined with the same background passivation chemistry based on assembly of a PEG-graft copolymer, there are considerable differences in the long-term stability between the three different pattern types under cell culture conditions. Our results suggest that these differences are not cell-dependent but are due to different (substrate-dependent) interactions between the patterned substrate, the passivating molecule and the serum containing cellular medium.

Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) constitutes a target in therapeutic angiogenesis. HIF-1alpha functions as a sensor of hypoxia and induces expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which then induces angiogenesis. To explore the potential of HIF-1alpha gene therapy in stimulating wound healing, we delivered a gene encoding a stabilized form of HIF-1alpha, lacking the oxygen-sensitive degradation domain, namely HIF-1alpha deltaODD, by using a previously characterized peptide-based gene delivery vector in fibrin as a surgical matrix. The peptide vector consisted of multiple domains: (i) A cysteine-flanked lysine hexamer provided DNA interactions that were stable extracellularly but destabilized intracellularly after reduction of the formed disulfide bonds. This DNA-binding domain was fused to either (ii) a fibrin-binding peptide for entrapment within the matrix or (iii) a nuclear localization sequence for efficient nuclear targeting. The HIF-1alpha deltaODD gene was expressed and translocated to the nucleus under normoxic conditions, leading to up-regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A165 mRNA and protein levels in vitro. When the peptide-DNA nanoparticles entrapped in fibrin matrices were applied to full-thickness dermal wounds in the mouse (10 microg per wound in 30 microl of fibrin), angiogenesis was increased comparably strongly to that induced by VEGF-A165 protein (1.25 microg per wound in 30 microl of fibrin). However, the maturity of the vessels induced by HIF-1alpha deltaODD was significantly higher than that induced by VEGF-A165 protein, as shown by stabilization of the neovessels with smooth muscle. Nonviral, local administration of this potent angiogenesis-inducing gene by using this peptide vector represents a powerful approach in tissue engineering and therapeutic angiogenesis.

AIMS/OBJECTIVE:Patency failure of small vascular synthetic grafts is still a major problem for coronary and peripheral revascularization. Thus, three new surface coatings of small synthetic grafts were tested in an acute pig model to evaluate their thrombogenicity (extracorporeal arterio-venous shunt) and in a chronic rat model to evaluate the tissue reaction they induced (subcutaneous implantation). METHODS:In five domestic pigs (25-30 kg) an extracorporeal femoro-femoral arterio-venous shunt model was used. The study protocol included first a non-heparinized perfusion sequence followed by graft perfusion after 10,000 UI iv heparin. Grafts were perfused for 3 and 9 minutes. The following coatings were tested on ePTFE grafts: poly-propylene sulphide (PPS)--poly-ethylene glycol (PEG) (wet and dry applications) as well as carbon. Two sets of control were used, one dry and one wet (vehicle only). After perfusion grafts were examined by scanning electron microscopy for semi-quantitative assessment (score 0-3) of cellular and microthrombi deposition. To assess tissue compatibility, pieces of each material were implanted subcutaneously in 16 Wistar rats. At 2, 4, 8, 12 weeks four animals each were sacrificed for semi-quantitative (score 0-3) histologic evaluation of tissue reaction. RESULTS:In the pig model, cellular deposition and microthrombi formation increased over time. In non- heparinized animals, the coatings did not improve the surface characteristics, since they did not prevent microthrombi formation and cellular deposition. In heparinized animals, thrombogenicity was lowest in coated grafts,especially in PPS -PEG dry (p<0.05), and highest in controls. Cell deposition was lowest in PPS-PEG dry, but this difference was not statistically significant vs.controls. In the rat model,no significant differences of the tissue reaction could be shown between materials. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:While all coatings failed to add any benefit for lowering tissue reaction, surface coating with PPS -PEG (dry application) reduced thrombogenicity significantly (in heparinized animals) and thus appears to be promising for improving graft patency of small synthetic vascular prostheses.

Block copolymers offer an interesting platform to study chemically triggered transitions in self-assembled structures. We have previously reported the oxidative degradation of vesicles made of poly(propylene sulfide)-poly(ethylene glycol) (PPS-PEG) copolymers. Here we propose a mechanism for vesicle degradation deduced from copolymer conformational changes occurring at the air/water interface in a Langmuir trough together with a reactive subphase. The hydrophobic PPS block is converted into hydrophilic poly(propylene sulfoxide) and poly(propylene sulfone) by oxidation upon exposure to 1% aqueous H(2)O(2) subphase. As a result, a dramatic increase in area per molecule at constant surface pressure (Pi) was observed, followed by an apparent decrease (recorded as decrease in area at constant Pi) due to copolymer dissolution. For monolayers at the air/water surface, the large interfacial tensions present suppress increases in local curvature for alleviating the increased hydrophilicity of the copolymer chains. By contrast, vesicles can potentially rearrange molecules in their bilayers to accommodate a changing hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB). Similar time scales for monolayer rearrangement and vesicle degradation imply a common copolymer chain solubilization mechanism, which in vesicles lead to an eventual transition to aggregates of higher curvature, such as cylindrical and spherical micelles. Subtle differences in response to the applied surface pressure for the diblock compared to the triblock suggest an effect of the different chain mobility.