Arunkumar P, Dougherty JA, Weist J, Kumar N, Angelos MG, Powell HM, Khan M, et al.
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland). Date of publication 2019 Jul 20;volume 9(7):.
1. Nanomaterials (Basel). 2019 Jul 20;9(7). pii: E1037. doi: 10.3390/nano9071037.
Sustained Release of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF) Encapsulated
Polycaprolactone (PCL) Microspheres Promote Angiogenesis In Vivo.
Arunkumar P(1), Dougherty JA(1), Weist J(1), Kumar N(1), Angelos MG(1), Powell
HM(2)(3), Khan M(4).
Author information:
(1)Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Davis Heart and Lung
Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH
43210, USA.
(2)Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
(3)Research Department, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Cincinnati, OH 43210,
USA.
(4)Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Davis Heart and Lung
Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH
43210, USA. mahmood.khan@osumc.edu.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in the Unites States
and globally. The administration of growth factors to preserve cardiac function
after myocardial infarction (MI) is currently being explored. Basic fibroblast
growth factor (bFGF), a potent angiogenic factor has poor clinical efficacy due
to its short biological half-life and low plasma stability. The goal of this
study was to develop bFGF-loaded polycaprolactone (PCL) microspheres for
sustained release of bFGF and to evaluate its angiogenic potential. The bFGF-PCL
microspheres (bFGF-PCL-MS) were fabricated using the emulsion solvent-evaporation
method and found to have spherical morphology with a mean size of 4.21 ± 1.28 µm.
In vitro bFGF release studies showed a controlled release for up to 30 days.
Treatment of HUVECs with bFGF-PCL-MS in vitro enhanced their cell proliferation
and migration properties when compared to the untreated control group. Treatment
of HUVECs with release media from bFGF-PCL-MS also significantly increased
expression of angiogenic genes (bFGF and VEGFA) as compared to untreated cells.
The in vivo angiogenic potential of these bFGF-PCL-MS was further confirmed in
rats using a Matrigel plug assay with subsequent immunohistochemical staining
showing increased expression of angiogenic markers. Overall, bFGF-PCL-MS could
serve as a potential angiogenic agent to promote cell survival and angiogenesis
following an acute myocardial infarction.
DOI: 10.3390/nano9071037
PMCID: PMC6669517
PMID: 31330782
