Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived exosomes have been recognized as new candidates for the treatment of degenerative diseases or injury and may provide an alternative to cell-based therapy. However, the compositions in MSC-derived exosomes are highly influenced by the microenvironment in which their original cells reside. Here, we hypothesized that a nitric oxide (NO)-releasing polymer can boost the proangiogenic compositions of exosomes and enhance their proangiogenic capacity. Our results demonstrated that exosomes, released from human placenta-derived MSCs (hP-MSCs) by NO stimulation, augment the angiogenic effects of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro. Moreover, exosomes released from hP-MSCs by NO stimulation revealed superior angiogenic effects and ameliorated limb function in a murine model of hind limb ischemia. Further analysis demonstrated that increased VEGF and miR-126 levels in exosomes released from hP-MSCs by NO stimulation were identified as a novel mechanism contributing to the increased capacity of these exosomes to promote angiogenic processes. In conclusion, designing specific microenvironments for in vitro stem cell culture, such as those containing bioactive material, will facilitate the development of customized exosomes encapsulating a beneficial composition of stem cells for cell-free therapeutic applications.

Wound healing dressings are increasingly needed clinically due to the large number of skin damage annually. Nitric oxide (NO) plays a key role in promoting wound healing, thus biomaterials with NO-releasing property receive increasing attention as ideal wound dressing. In present study, we prepared a novel functional wound dressing by combining electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) nonwoven mat with chitosan-based NO-releasing biomaterials (CS-NO). As-prepared PCL/CS-NO dressing released NO sustainably under the physiological conditions, which was controlled by the catalysis of β-galactosidase. In vivo wound healing characteristics were further evaluated on full-thickness cutaneous wounds in mice. Results showed that PCL/CS-NO wound dressings remarkably accelerated wound healing process through enhancing re-epithelialization and granulation formation and effectively improved the organization of regenerated tissues including epidermal-dermal junction, which could be ascribed to the pro-angiogenesis, immunomodulation, and enhanced collagen synthesis provided by the sustained release of NO. Therefore, PCL/CS-NO may be a promising candidate for wound dressings, especially for the chronic wound caused by the ischemia.Statement of significanceSerious skin damage caused by trauma, surgery, burn or chronic disease has become one of the most serious clinical problems. Therefore, there is an increasing demand for ideal wound dressing that can improve wound healing. Due to the vital role of nitric oxide (NO), we developed a novel functional wound dressing by combining electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) mat with NO-releasing biomaterial (CS-NO). The sustained release of NO from PCL/CS-NO demonstrated positive effects on wound healing, including pro-angiogenesis, immunomodulation, and enhanced collagen synthesis. Hence, wound healing process was remarkably accelerated and the organization of regenerated tissues was effectively improved as well. Taken together, PCL/CS-NO dressing may be a promising candidate for wound treatment, especially for the chronic wound caused by the ischemia.Download high-res image (281KB)Download full-size image

•Heparin-functionalized PCL surface was prepared by a facile and efficient method.•It allows the regulation of growth and phenotype of vascular smooth muscle cells.•A confluent layer of contractile smooth muscle has been successfully generated.Contractile vascular smooth muscle accounts for the normal physiological function of artery. Heparin, as a native glycosaminoglycan, has been well known for its important function in promoting or maintaining the contractile phenotype of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). In this study, heparin-functionalized non-woven poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) mat was fabricated by a facile and efficient surface modification protocol, which enables the control of surface heparin density within a broad range. Surface heparization remarkably increased the hydrophilicity of PCL, and reduced platelet adhesion. MTT assay showed that VSMC proliferation was evidently inhibited on the heparin-functionalized PCL surface in a dose-dependent manner. Gene analysis confirmed that surface heparization also promoted the transition of VSMCs from synthetic phenotype to contractile one. Furthermore, with a proper surface density of heparin, it allowed VSMCs to grow in a certain rate, while exhibiting contractile phenotype. Culture of VSMCs on a modified PCL mat with moderate heparin density (PCL-Hep-20) for 2 days resulted in a confluent layer of contractile smooth muscle cells. These data suggest that the heparin-modified PCL scaffolds may be a promising candidate to generate functional vascular tissues in vitro.

We report here a hepatoma-targeting multi-responsive biodegradable crosslinked nanogel, poly(6-O-vinyladipoyl-D-galactose-ss-N-vinylcaprolactam-ss-methacrylic acid) P(ODGal-VCL-MAA), using a combination of enzymatic transesterification and emulsion copolymerization for intracellular drug delivery. The nanogel exhibited redox, pH and temperature-responsive properties, which can be adjusted by varying the monomer feeding ratio. Furthermore, the volume phase transition temperature (VPTT) of the nanogels was close to body temperature and can result in rapid thermal gelation at 37 °C. Scanning electron microscopy also revealed that the P(ODGal-VCL-MAA) nanogel showed uniform spherical monodispersion. With pyrene as a probe, the fluorescence excitation spectra demonstrated nanogel degradation in response to glutathione (GSH). X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed an amorphous property of DOX within the nanogel, which was used in this study as a model anti-cancer drug. Drug-releasing characteristics of the nanogel were examined in vitro. The results showed multi-responsiveness of DOX release by the variation of environmental pH values, temperature or the availability of GSH, a biological reductase. An in vitro cytotoxicity assay showed a higher anti-tumor activity of the galactose-functionalized DOX-loaded nanogels against human hepatoma HepG2 cells, which was, at least in part, due to specific binding between the galactose segments and the asialoglycoprotein receptors (ASGP-Rs) in hepatic cells. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and flow cytometric profiles further confirmed elevated cellular uptake of DOX by the galactose-functionalised nanogels. Thus, we report here a multi-responsive P(ODGal-VCL-MAA) nanogel with a hepatoma-specific targeting ability for anti-cancer drug delivery.

Combination chemotherapy is potent to combat diseases. Simultaneous and segregated delivery of multiple drugs in a single vehicle is essential to achieve this objective. In the present study, an injectable, thermosensitive and multicompartment hydrogel (MCH) was developed by the facile cooperative and incompatible assembly of PEGylated hydrocarbon nanoparticles with PEGylated fluorocarbon nanoparticles. The cooperative assembly behavior was investigated by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) technology, and the result demonstrated that the incompatible nanoparticle cores possibly accounted for the multicompartment formation in hydrogel. Paclitaxel and doxorubicin could be easily and separately integrated into the different compartments of MCH serving as a sustained drug cocktail formulation. In vitro drug release indicated drugs were liberated in a simultaneous but independent manner without any effect on each other. In vitro and in vivo antitumor activity indicated that peritumoral injection of drug cocktail encapsulated MCH formulation could well achieve the combination effect, which significantly improved the tumor growth inhibition efficiency as well as minimized the drug-associated side effects compared to intravenous injection of free drug cocktail. Furthermore, such a delivery device would allow precise adjustment of drug dosage to the desired effect, achieve spatial–temporal simultaneous and synchronized presence of combination drugs in the target tissue and obviate repeated drug administrations to improve patient compliance. The thermosensitive multicompartment hydrogel cocktail formulation holds great promise for simultaneous and segregated delivery of multiple bioactive agents for sustained combination therapy.

A β-galactosidase-responsive molecular hydrogelator of a nitric oxide (NO) donor can release NO in a controllable manner to improve wound healing.

A novel approach for vascular grafts to achieve rapid endothelialization is to attract endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) from peripheral blood onto grafts via EPC-specific antibodies, aptamer, or peptides that specifically bind to EPCs. Inspired by this idea, the electrospun poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) mats were modified with zwitterionic poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate) (PCBMA) and phage display-selected-EPC-specific peptide, TPSLEQRTVYAK (TPS). We tested the physical and chemical properties, cyto-compatibility, and platelet adhesion of the modified material, and investigated the specificity of the functionalized surface for capturing EPCs. The results indicated that PCL modified with zwitterionic PCBMA and TPS peptide showed improved hydrophilicity without morphology change and damage of the mats. Furthermore, the modified material supported adherence and growth of vascular cells and resisted platelets adhesion. The surfaces also specifically captured EPCs rather than bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. This surface-functionalized PCL graft may offer new opportunities for designing new vascular grafts.Highlights► Surface of electrospun PCL fibers was dually functionalized with PCBMA and TPS peptide. ► Modified surface of electrospun PCL fibers showed effective inhibition of platelet adhesion. ► The conjugation of TPS provided specific cell binding toward EPC.

In this study, we developed a method for the dual functionalization of a poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) surface by means of the supramolecular assembly technology. Polyethylene glycol (PEG), with resistance to protein adsorption, and TPSLEQRTVYAK (TPS) peptide, which can specifically bind endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), were immobilized on the PCL surface through host–guest inclusion complexation. The chemical composition as well as the hydrophilic/hydrophobic property of the functionalized surface was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and water contact angle measurements. The relative composition of two functional molecules on the dually functionalized surface was further analyzed by fluorescence quantification. Finally, the fibrinogen adsorption, platelet adhesion and activation, and selective attachment of cells were systematically evaluated on the functionalized surface. The results show that the presence of PEG evidently inhibited the adsorption of plasma protein and platelet adhesion, thus reducing the possibility of thrombus formation on the functionalized surface. At the same time, the TPS-functionalized surface demonstrated enhanced attachment toward EPC compared with the surfaces in the absence of TPS functionalization. For the surface functionalized by both PEG and TPS, the functions provided by each component have been well demonstrated. The relative composition of the PEG and TPS could be further fine-tuned by adjusting the feeding ratio. All these results indicate that the dually functionalized surface developed in this study is a suitable candidate for vascular graft to induce and promote in situ endothelialization.

In this study, natural lecithin was incorporated into cholesterol-poly(ε-caprolactone) (Chol-PCL) by solution blending in order to modify the performance of the hydrophobic and bio-inert PCL. The fibrous Chol-PCL/lecithin membranes were fabricated by electrospinning, and the surface morphology and properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, static water contact angle, and mechanical tensile testing. The blood compatibility of the scaffolds was evaluated by in vitro hemolysis assay. The cytocompatibility of the scaffolds was investigated by cell adhesion and proliferation using bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Subcutaneous implantation was also performed to evaluate the in vivo inflammatory reaction. The tubular tissue-engineered vascular graft (TEVG) was further constructed by rolling cell sheet comprising fibrous membrane and MSCs. Furthermore, endothelial cells (ECs) were seeded onto the lumen of the graft with the aim to form vascular endothelium. The preliminary results indicate that electrospun Chol-PCL/lecithin scaffolds show improved hemocompatibility and cytocompatibility compared with neat Chol-PCL, and combining the Chol-PCL/lecithin fibrous scaffold with MSCs and ECs with well controlled distribution is a promising strategy for constructing TEVGs.

Stem cell therapy has been proved to be an effective approach to ameliorate the heart remodeling post myocardial infarction (MI). However, poor cell engraftment and survival in ischemic myocardium limits the successful use of cellular therapy for treating MI. Here, we sought to transplant adipose derived-mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) with a hydrogel (NapFF-NO), naphthalene covalently conjugated a short peptide, FFGGG, and β-galactose caged nitric oxide (NO) donor, which can release NO molecule in response to β-galactosidase. AD-MSCs, either from transgenic mice that constitutively express GFP and firefly luciferase (Fluc), or express Fluc under the control of VEGFR2 promoter, were co-transplanted with NapFF-NO hydrogel into murine MI models. Improved cell survival and enhanced cardiac function were confirmed by bioluminescence imaging (BLI) and echocardiogram respectively. Moreover, increasing VEGFR2-luc expression was also tracked in real-time in vivo, indicating NapFF-NO hydrogel stimulated VEGF secretion of AD-MSCs. To investigate the therapeutic mechanism of NapFF-NO hydrogel, cell migration assay, paracrine action of AD-MSCs, and histology analysis were carried out. Our results revealed that condition medium from AD-MSCs cultured with NapFF-NO hydrogel could promote endothelial cell migration. Additionally, AD-MSCs showed significant improvement secretion of angiogenic factors VEGF and SDF-1α in the presence of NapFF-NO hydrogel. Finally, postmortem analysis confirmed that transplanted AD-MSCs with NapFF-NO hydrogel could ameliorate heart function by promoting angiogenesis and attenuating ventricular remodeling. In conclusion, NapFF-NO hydrogel can obviously improve therapeutic efficacy of AD-MSCs for MI by increasing cell engraftment and angiogenic paracrine action.

A β-galactosidase-responsive molecular hydrogelator of a nitric oxide (NO) donor can release NO in a controllable manner to improve wound healing.