Small-diameter hybrid vascular grafts composed of polycaprolactone and polydioxanone fibers.

ABSTRACT: Electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) vascular grafts showed good mechanical properties and patency. However, the slow degradation of PCL limited vascular regeneration in the graft. Polydioxanone (PDS) is a biodegradable polymer with high mechanical strength and moderate degradation rate in vivo. In this study, a small-diameter hybrid vascular graft was prepared by co-electrospinning PCL and PDS fibers. The incorporation of PDS improves mechanical properties, hydrophilicity of the hybrid grafts compared to PCL grafts. The in vitro/vivo degradation assay showed that PDS fibers completely degraded within 12 weeks, which resulted in the increased pore size of PCL/PDS grafts. The healing characteristics of the hybrid grafts were evaluated by implantation in rat abdominal aorta replacement model for 1 and 3 months. Color Doppler ultrasound demonstrated PCL/PDS grafts had good patency, and did not show aneurysmal dilatation. Immunofluorescence staining showed the coverage of endothelial cells (ECs) was significantly enhanced in PCL/PDS grafts due to the improved surface hydrophilicity. The degradation of PDS fibers provided extra space, which facilitated vascular smooth muscle regeneration within PCL/PDS grafts. These results suggest that the hybrid PCL/PDS graft may be a promising candidate for the small-diameter vascular grafts.

SUBMITTER: Pan Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5472623 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature