Functionalized core/shell nanofibers for the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells for vascular tissue engineering

Ezhilarasu H 1 , Sadiq A 1 , Ratheesh G 2 , Sridhar S 3 , Ramakrishna S 1 , Ab Rahim MH 4 Show all authors , Yusoff MM 4 , Jose R 4 , Reddy VJ 1

Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Center for Nanofibers & Nanotechnology, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  • 2 Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Science & Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia
  • 3 Department of Mechanical & Construction Engineering, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK
  • 4 Faculty of Industrial Sciences & Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, 26300 Gambang, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
Nanomedicine (Lond), 2019 01;14(2):201-214.
PMID: 30526272 DOI: 10.2217/nnm-2018-0271

Abstract

AIM: Atherosclerosis is a common cardiovascular disease causing medical problems globally leading to coronary artery bypass surgery. The present study is to fabricate core/shell nanofibers to encapsulate VEGF for the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into smooth muscle cells to develop vascular grafts.

MATERIALS & METHODS: The fabricated core/shell nanofibers contained polycaprolactone/gelatin as the shell, and silk fibroin/VEGF as the core materials.

RESULTS: The results observed that the core/shell nanofibers interact to differentiate MSCs into smooth muscle cells by the expression of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) contractile proteins α-actinin, myosin and F-actin.

CONCLUSION: The functionalized polycaprolactone/gelatin/silk fibroin/VEGF (250 ng) core/shell nanofibers were fabricated for the controlled release of VEGF in a persistent manner for the differentiation of MSCs into smooth muscle cells for vascular tissue engineering.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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