Phenotype Regulation of Smooth Muscle Cells Through Facial Crystallization of Poly(ɛ-Caprolactone)

Phenotype conversion of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) plays a key role in the formation of atherosclerosis. Understanding how SMCs respond to a micro/nano-topology and elucidating the cellular mechanism of phenotype conversion is critical to the atherosclerosis treatment. Herein, we prepared poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) spherulites with a radius more than 350 μm for the studying of radial microstructure influence on SMCs behaviors. We found that on the PCL spherulitic films, SMCs grew aligning the radial direction of PCL spherulites, overexpressed α-SMA gene than OPN gene, and preferred contractile phenotype. FAK signaling pathway and ROCK1 signaling pathway both contributed to the contractile phenotype maintenance of SMCs. This work illustrated the feasibility of spherulites in regulating SMCs behaviors, and elucidated the mechanism how SMCs respond to a radial micro/nano-topology. This research may provide theoretical basis for the atherosclerosis formation and treatment.