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A biologically active VEGF construct in vitro: implications for bioengineering-improved prosthetic vascular grafts
David Stone1, Matthew Phaneuf, Nayan Sivamurthy
1Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Vascular Surgery Research Laboratory, Harvard Institute of Medicine Building, 4 Blackfan Circle, Room 130, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. docstone@usa.net
Journal of Biomedical Materials Research
|December 18, 2001
Summary
Modified vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) bound to albumin enhances endothelial cell migration and proliferation, suggesting improved prosthetic graft performance.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Vascular Biology
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Prosthetic arterial grafts often fail due to incomplete endothelial lining post-implantation.
- Enhancing graft endothelialization is crucial for improving patency and long-term success.
- Growth factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), are explored to promote endothelialization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the biological activity of VEGF covalently linked to bovine serum albumin (VEGF-BSA).
- To compare the effects of native VEGF and VEGF-BSA on endothelial cell migration and proliferation in vitro.
- To determine if modified VEGF retains its key functional properties for potential therapeutic applications.
Main Methods:
- Endothelial cell migration assays were conducted using varying concentrations of native VEGF and VEGF-BSA.
- Cellular proliferation was measured using the Alamar Blue assay with different conditions, including native VEGF and VEGF-BSA.
- Statistical analysis was performed to compare the effects of different treatments on cell behavior.
Main Results:
- Both native VEGF and VEGF-BSA significantly stimulated endothelial cell migration in a dose-dependent manner.
- VEGF-BSA demonstrated a potent effect on cell migration, with higher stimulation observed compared to native VEGF at equivalent concentrations.
- VEGF-BSA and native VEGF supported comparable increases in endothelial cell proliferation compared to control conditions.
Conclusions:
- Modified VEGF, when covalently linked to BSA, retains its essential chemotactic and proliferative properties.
- VEGF-BSA holds promise for coating prosthetic surfaces to enhance endothelial cell recruitment and growth.
- This approach offers a novel strategy to improve the patency and reduce the failure rate of arterial grafts.