Collagen incorporation within electrospun conduits reduces lipid oxidation and impacts conduit mechanics

Modulating the host response, including the accumulation of oxidized lipid species, is important for improving tissue engineered vascular graft (TEVG) viability. Accumulation of oxidized lipids promotes smooth muscle cell (SMC) hyper-proliferation and inhibits endothelial cell migration, which can lead to several of the current challenges for small-diameter TEVGs. Generating biomaterials that reduce lipid oxidation is important for graft survival and this assessment can provide a reliable correlation to clinical situations. In this study, we determined the collagen to poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) ratio required to limit the production of pro-inflammatory species, while maintaining the required mechanical strength for the graft. Electrospun conduits were prepared from 0%, 10%, and 25% blends of collagen/PCL (w/w) and implanted in the rat peritoneal cavity for four weeks. The results showed that adding collagen to the PCL conduits reduced the accumulation of oxidized lipid species within the implanted conduits. In addition, the ratio of collagen had a significant impact on the recruited cell phenotype and construct mechanics. All conduits exhibited greater than 44% yield strain and sufficient tensile strength post-implantation. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that incorporating collagen into synthetic electrospun scaffolds, both 10% and 25% blend conditions, appears to limit the pro-inflammatory characteristics after in vivo implantation.