Polyethylene terephthalate membrane grafted with peptidomimetics: endothelial cell compatibility and retention under shear stress

Integrin-Targeting Peptides for the Design of Functional Cell-Responsive Biomaterials

Integrins are a family of cell surface receptors crucial to fundamental cellular functions such as adhesion, signaling, and viability, deeply involved in a variety of diseases, including the initiation and progression of cancer, of coronary, inflammatory, or autoimmune diseases. The natural ligands of integrins are glycoproteins expressed on the cell surface or proteins of the extracellular matrix. For this reason, short peptides or peptidomimetic sequences that reproduce the integrin-binding motives have attracted much attention as potential drugs. When challenged in clinical trials, these peptides/peptidomimetics let to contrasting and disappointing results. In the search for alternative utilizations, the integrin peptide ligands have been conjugated onto nanoparticles, materials, or drugs and drug carrier systems, for specific recognition or delivery of drugs to cells overexpressing the targeted integrins. Recent research in peptidic integrin ligands is exploring new opportunities, in particular for the design of nanostructured, micro-fabricated, cell-responsive, stimuli-responsive, smart materials.

Application of tissue-engineered interventions for coronary artery bypass grafts

Coronary artery bypass graft is one of the extensively conducted procedures to release occlusion in the coronary vessel. Various biological grafts are used for this purpose, superiorly, saphenous vein graft, if unavailable, other vessels in the body, with likewise characteristics are exploited for the purpose. The choice of graft is yet under discovery that could impeccably meet all the requirements. Variation in perioperative and postoperative results have given uneven clinical inferences of these conduits. Alternatively, tissue-engineering is also being applied in this area for clinical improvements. This review underlines some of the commonly used grafts for coronary artery bypass graft and advancements in tissue engineering for this purpose.

Proteins, peptides and peptidomimetics as active agents in implant surface functionalization

The recent impact of implants on improving the human life quality has been enormous. During the past two decades we witnessed major advancements in both material and structural development of implants. They were driven mainly by the increasing patients' demand and the need to address the major issues that come along with the initially underestimated complexity of the bone-implant interface. While both, the materials and design of implants reached a certain, balanced state, recent years brought a shift in focus towards the bone-implant interface as the weakest link in the increasing implant long-term usability. As a result, several approaches were developed. They aimed at influencing and enhancing the implant osseointegration and its proper behavior when under load and stress. With this review, we would like to discuss the recent advancements in the field of implant surface modifications, emphasizing the importance of chemical methods, focusing on proteins, peptides and peptidomimetics as promising agents for titanium surface coatings.

αvβ3- or α5β1-Integrin-Selective Peptidomimetics for Surface Coating

Engineering biomaterials with integrin-binding activity is a very powerful approach to promote cell adhesion, modulate cell behavior, and induce specific biological responses at the surface level. The aim of this Review is to illustrate the evolution of surface-coating molecules in this field: from peptides and proteins with relatively low integrin-binding activity and receptor selectivity to highly active and selective peptidomimetic ligands. In particular, we will bring into focus the difficult challenge of achieving selectivity between the two closely related integrin subtypes αvβ3 and α5β1. The functionalization of surfaces with such peptidomimetics opens the way for a new generation of highly specific cell-instructive surfaces to dissect the biological role of integrin subtypes and for application in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Blood-Vessel Mimicking Structures by Stereolithographic Fabrication of Small Porous Tubes Using Cytocompatible Polyacrylate Elastomers, Biofunctionalization and Endothelialization

Blood vessel reconstruction is still an elusive goal for the development of in vitro models as well as artificial vascular grafts. In this study, we used a novel photo-curable cytocompatible polyacrylate material (PA) for freeform generation of synthetic vessels. We applied stereolithography for the fabrication of arbitrary 3D tubular structures with total dimensions in the centimeter range, 300 µm wall thickness, inner diameters of 1 to 2 mm and defined pores with a constant diameter of approximately 100 µm or 200 µm. We established a rinsing protocol to remove remaining cytotoxic substances from the photo-cured PA and applied thio-modified heparin and RGDC-peptides to functionalize the PA surface for enhanced endothelial cell adhesion. A rotating seeding procedure was introduced to ensure homogenous endothelial monolayer formation at the inner luminal tube wall. We showed that endothelial cells stayed viable and adherent and aligned along the medium flow under fluid-flow conditions comparable to native capillaries. The combined technology approach comprising of freeform additive manufacturing (AM), biomimetic design, cytocompatible materials which are applicable to AM, and biofunctionalization of AM constructs has been introduced as BioRap(®) technology by the authors.

The gene expression of human endothelial cells is modulated by subendothelial extracellular matrix proteins: short-term response to laminar shear stress

Vascular surgery for atherosclerosis is confronted by the lack of a suitable bypass material. Tissue engineering strives to produce bio-artificial conduits to provide resistance to thrombosis. The objectives of our study were to culture endothelial cells (EC) on composite assemblies of extracellular matrix proteins, and to evaluate the cellular phenotype under flow. Cell-adhesive assemblies were fabricated on glass slides as combinations of collagen (Co), laminin (LM), and fibronectin (FN), resulting in three samples: Co, Co/LM, and Co/FN. Surface topography, roughness, and wettability were determined. Human saphenous vein EC were harvested from cardiac patients, cultured on the assemblies and submitted to laminar shear stress (SS) of 12 dyn/cm(2) for 40, 80, and 120 min. Cell retention was assessed and qRT-PCR of adhesion genes (VE-cadherin, vinculin, KDR, CD-31 or PECAM-1, β1-integrins) and metabolic genes (t-PA, NF-κB, eNOS and MMP-1) was performed. Quantitative immunofluorescence of VE cadherin, vinculin, KDR, and vonWillebrand factor was performed after 2 and 6 h of flow. Static samples were excluded from shearing. The cells reached confluence with similar growth curves. The cells on Co/LM and Co/FN were resistant to flow up to 120 min but minor desquamation occurred on Co corresponding with temporary downregulation of VE cadherin and vinculin-mRNA and decreased fluorescence of vinculin. The cells seeded on Co/LM initially more upregulated vinculin-mRNA and also the inflammatory factor NF-κB, and the cells plated on Co/FN changed the expression profile minimally in comparison with the static control. Fluorescence of VE cadherin and vonWillebrand factor was enhanced on Co/FN. The cells cultured on Co/LM and Co/FN increased the vinculin fluorescence and expressed more VE cadherin and KDR-mRNA than the cells on Co. The cells plated on Co/FN upregulated the mRNA of VE cadherin, CD-31, and MMP 1 to a greater extent than the cells on Co/LM and they enhanced the fluorescence of VE cadherin, KDR, and vonWillebrand factor. Some of these changes sustained up to 6 h of flow, as confirmed by immunofluorescence. Combined matrices Co/LM and Co/FN seem to be more suitable for EC seeding and retention under flow. Moreover, Co/FN matrix promoted slightly more favorable cellular phenotype than Co/LM under SS of 2-6 h.

Attachment of human endothelial cells to polyester vascular grafts: pre-coating with adhesive protein assemblies and resistance to short-term shear stress

Cardiovascular prosthetic bypass grafts do not endothelialize spontaneously in humans, and so they pose a thrombotic risk. Seeding with cells improves their performance, particularly in small-caliber applications. Knitted tubular polyethylene-terephthalate (PET) vascular prostheses (6 mm) with commercial type I collagen (PET/Co) were modified in the lumen by the adsorption of laminin (LM), by coating with a fibrin network (Fb) or a combination of Fb and fibronectin (Fb/FN). Primary human saphenous vein endothelial cells were seeded (1.50 × 10(5)/cm2), cultured for 72 h and exposed to laminar shear stress 15 dyn/cm(2) for 40 and 120 min. The control static grafts were excluded from shearing. The cell adherence after 4 h on PET/Co, PET/Co +LM, PET/Co +Fb and PET/Co +Fb/FN was 22%, 30%, 19% and 27% of seeding, respectively. Compared to the static grafts, the cell density on PET/Co and PET/Co +LM dropped to 61% and 50%, respectively, after 120 min of flow. The cells on PET/Co +Fb and PET/Co +Fb/FN did not show any detachment during 2 h of shear stress. Pre-coating the clinically-used PET/Co vascular prosthesis with LM or Fb/FN adhesive protein assemblies promotes the adherence of endothelium. Cell retention under flow is improved particularly on fibrin-containing (Fb and Fb/FN) surfaces.