Bimodal Imaging‐Visible Nanomedicine Integrating CXCR4 and VEGFa Genes Directs Synergistic Reendothelialization of Endothelial Progenitor Cells

• Published in: Advanced science Vol. 7; no. 24; pp. 2001657 - n/a
• Main Authors: Yu, Bingbo, Dong, Bing, He, Jiang, Huang, Hui, Huang, Jinsheng, Wang, Yong, Liang, Jianwen, Zhang, Jianning, Qiu, Yumin, Shen, Jun, Shuai, Xintao, Tao, Jun, Xia, Wenhao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.12.2020; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: bimodal imaging; cardiovascular disease; Chemokines; Efficiency; endothelial progenitor cells; Endothelium; Flow cytometry; Gene therapy; Magnetic resonance imaging; Microscopy; Morphology; nanomedicine; Nanoparticles; Particle size; Stem cells; vascular endothelial injury repairing; cardiovascular disease; nanomedicine; bimodal imaging; vascular endothelial injury repairing; endothelial progenitor cells
• ISSN: 2198-3844; 2198-3844
• DOI: 10.1002/advs.202001657

A major challenge to treat vascular endothelial injury is the restoration of endothelium integrity in which endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) plays a central role. Transplantation of EPCs as a promising therapeutic means is subject to two interrelated processes, homing and differentiation of EPCs in vivo, and thus a lack of either one may greatly affect the outcome of EPC‐based therapy. Herein, a polymeric nanocarrier is applied for the codelivery of CXCR4 and VEGFa genes to simultaneously promote the migration and differentiation of EPCs. Moreover, MRI T2 contrast agent SPION and NIR dye Cy7.5 are also loaded into the nanocarrier in order to track EPCs in vivo. Based on the synergistic effect of the two codelivered genes, an improved reendothelialization of EPCs is achieved in a rat carotid denuded model. The results show the potential of this bimodal imaging‐visible nanomedicine to improve the performance of EPCs in repairing arterial injury, which may push forward the stem cell‐based therapy of cardiovascular disease. A bimodal imaging‐visible nanodrug integrating chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFa) genes is prepared to effectively codeliver two genes to endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and to track the EPCs therapy in vivo. Owing to the synergistic effect of the two genes, an improved reendothelialization of EPCs is achieved in a rat carotid denuded model.