Viability, proliferation and adhesion of smooth muscle cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells on electrospun polymer scaffolds
Issue title: Selected articles of the 30th Annual Conference of the German Society for Clinical Microcirculation and Hemorheology (DGKMH), 18–21 June, 2011, Munich, Germany
Affiliations: Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Berlin and Teltow, Germany | Centre for Biomaterial Development, Institute of Polymer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Teltow, Germany
Note: [] Corresponding author: Constantin Rüder, Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany. Tel.: +49 30 450 539 485; Fax: +49 30 450 539 902; E-mail: constantin.rueder@charite.de
Abstract: A major clinical problem of high relevance in the cardiovascular field is late stent thrombosis after implantation of drug eluting stents (DES). Clinical widely used DES currently utilize durable polymer coatings, which can induce persistent arterial wall inflammation and delayed vascular healing resulting in an impaired endothelialization. In this study we explored the interaction of smooth muscle cells (SMC) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) with electrospun scaffolds prepared from resorbable polyetheresterurethane (PDC) and poly(p-dioxanone) (PPDO), as well as polyetherimide (PEI), which can be surface modified, in comparison to poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropene) (PVDF) as reference material, which is established as coating material of DES in clinical applications. Our results show that adhesion could be improved for HUVEC on PDC, PPDO and PEI compared to PVDF, whereas almost no SMC attached to the scaffolds indicating a cell-specific response of HUVEC towards the different fibrous structures. Proliferation and apoptosis results revealed that PPDO and PEI have no significant negative influence on vitality and cell cycle behaviour compared to PVDF. Hence, they represent promising candidates for temporary blood vessel support that induce HUVEC attachment and prevent SMC proliferation.
Keywords: Endothelialization, drug eluting stent, degradable polymer, electrospinning, cell selectivity
