Angiogenesis induced with neotype amphiphic peptide / 生物医学工程学杂志

ABSTRACT

The angiogenesis induced with neotype amphiphilic peptide containing Isoleucine-Lysine-Valine-Alanine-Valine (IKVAV) was explored in vivo. The peptide was self-assembled into hydrogel, confirmed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). One millilitre of 10 mg/ml peptide (experiment group, EG) and 16.67% gelatin (control group, CG) were injected subcutaneously beside rat backbone. The systemic response and local skin were observed one week after injection. The specimens were harvested two weeks later and immunohistochemically examined for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). TEM showed that hydrogel was composed of interconnected nanofibers. The inflammatory reaction and necrosis of local skins were not found one week after injection. Lots of capillary vessels with complete wall were found within self-assembled peptide hydrogel, with erythrocytes noted inside the vessels in EG; the capillary vessels or erythrocytes were not found in the gelatin in CG. The immunohistochemical detection revealed VEGF-positive cells in EG, which were not found in CG. The self-assembly hydrogel from IKVAV-containing peptide was able to induce the angiogenesis in vivo.