The patency rate of small-diameter tissue-engineered blood vessels is the determinant for their application in coronary artery bypass grafting. The coronary artery is innervated by vagus nerves. The origin of vagus nerves is rich in brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF). We have investigated whether BDNF could improve the patency rate of small-diameter tissue-engineered blood vessels through promoting stem cell homing and paracrine activity. In vitro, we isolated early and late endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and found BDNF could promote single clone formation and paracrine function of EPCs, and could also induce the proliferation, migration and differentiation of late EPCs. BDNF could enhance the capturing of EPCs in parallel-plate flow chamber. Flow cytometric analysis and laser-scanning confocal microscope showed BDNF could enhance the mobilization and homing of C57BL/6 mouse EPCs after wire injury. Based on it, BDNF was coupled to the lumen surface of the blood vessel matrix material incubated with collagen through SPDP to construct BDNF-modified small-diameter tissue-engineered blood vessel. The blood vessel patency rate was significantly higher than that of control group 8 weeks after implantation in rats and the endothelialization level was superior to control. These results demonstrate that BDNF can effectively improve patency of small-diameter tissue-engineered blood vessels through stem cell homing and paracrine, and it is expected to play an important role in the construction of substitutes for coronary artery bypass grafting.
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