ABSTRACT
Vascularization is crucial for implantation of engineered tissues in reconstructive surgery. Polypeptides encapsulated in microspheres can be efficiently transported to their site of action and released in a sustained dosage. We evaluated the effect of delivering vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-encapsulated microspheres in a lipoaspirate scaffold on vascularization and tissue survival. The VEGF-loaded (n=6) and empty (n=6) poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) microspheres in human lipoaspirate and the human lipoaspirate alone (n=6) were injected subcutaneously into the flanks of athymic nude mice. Three mice from each group were killed, and grafts were explanted at weeks 3 and 6. Increases in mass and volume of VEGF samples, as well as decreases in empty and lipoaspirate-only samples, were observed at 3 and 6 weeks, reaching statistical significance at 6 weeks. Hematoxylin and eosin and CD31+ imaging demonstrated significantly greater vascularization in VEGF samples than in both the empty and lipoaspirate-only groups at both 3 and 6 weeks.
Subject(s)
Adipose Tissue, White/transplantation , Angiogenesis Inducing Agents/pharmacology , Guided Tissue Regeneration/methods , Microspheres , Neovascularization, Physiologic/drug effects , Tissue Scaffolds , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/pharmacology , Adipose Tissue, White/blood supply , Adipose Tissue, White/growth & development , Angiogenesis Inducing Agents/administration & dosage , Animals , Female , Graft Survival , Humans , Lipectomy , Mice , Mice, Nude , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/administration & dosageABSTRACT
Scleredema is a rare disease that is difficult to treat. Many therapies have been tried with varied and somewhat inconsistent results. Here we report two cases of scleredema successfully treated with low-dose UVA-1.
