Development of transgenic endothelial progenitor cell-seeded stents

Endothelial progenitor cell (EPC)-seeded intravascular stents may reduce or prevent in-stent restenosis. A20 can play an important role for preventing vascular restenosis. Therefore, it is very important how to enhance the seeding efficiency of A20-modified EPCs on the stent for preventing in-stent restenosis. To approach this problem, we developed a novel transgenic EPC-seeded stent and evaluated its feasibility and efficiency. EPCs were isolated and purified from umbilical blood using immunomagnetic beads and then transfected with the A20 gene. One stent type (type 1) was coated with EDC cross-linked collagen, and another stent type (type 2) was coated with EDC cross-linked collagen and bound to the CD34 antibody using the bifunctional coupling agent N-succinmidyl3-(2-pyridyldithio) propionate (SPDP). Then, the stents were seeded with EPCs transfected with the A20 gene. The stents were implanted in biological artificial vessels, and cell adhesion was determined in a flow chamber. Cell growth was also measured. EPCs were transfected successfully with the A20 gene. The cells covered both types of stents with favorable biological function. After placement in a flow chamber, the number of cells attached to type 1 stents significantly dropped and their distribution was scattered. Type 2 stents were basically covered with cells and there were more cells on type 2 stents than on type 1 stents (p < 0.01). Collagen-coupled antibody effectively improves the seeding of transgenic EPCs, offering a new choice of stents to prevent restenosis caused by vascular disease after interventional treatment.