Improved biocompatibility of novel biodegradable scaffold composed of poly-L-lactic acid and amorphous calcium phosphate nanoparticles in porcine coronary artery

Abstract

Using poly-L-lactic acid for implantable biodegradable scaffold has potential biocompatibility issue due to its acidic degradation byproducts. We have previously reported that the addition of amorphous calcium phosphate improved poly-L-lactic acid coating biocompatibility. In the present study, poly-L-lactic acid and poly-L-lactic acid/amorphous calcium phosphate scaffolds were implanted in pig coronary arteries for 28 days. At the follow-up angiographic evaluation, no case of stent thrombosis was observed, and the arteries that were stented with the copolymer scaffold had significantly less inflammation and nuclear factor-B expression and a greater degree of reendothelialization. The serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and nitric oxide, as well the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, were also significantly higher. In conclusion, the addition of amorphous calcium phosphate to biodegradable poly-L-lactic acid scaffold minimizes the inflammatory response, promotes the growth of endothelial cells, and accelerates the reendothelialization of the stented coronary arteries.