Stent implantation is the primary
method used to treat coronary
heart disease. However, it is associated with complications such as
restenosis and late thrombosis. Despite surface modification being
an effective way to improve the biocompatibility of stents, the current
research studies are not focused on changes in the vascular microenvironment
at the implantation site. In the present study, an adaptive drug-loaded
coating was constructed on the surface of vascular stent materials
that can respond to oxidative stress at the site of vascular lesions.
Two functional molecules, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and cysteine
hydrochloride, were employed to fabricate a coating on the surface
of 316L stainless steel. In addition, the coating was used as a drug
carrier to load pitavastatin calcium. EGCG has antioxidant activity,
and pitavastatin calcium can inhibit smooth muscle cell proliferation.
Therefore, EGCG and pitavastatin calcium provided a synergistic anti-inflammatory
effect. Moreover, the coating was cross-linked using disulfide bonds,
which accelerated the release of the drug in response to reactive
oxygen species. A positive correlation was observed between the rate
of drug release and the degree of oxidative stress. Collectively,
this drug-loaded oxidative stress-responsive coating has been demonstrated
to significantly inhibit inflammation, accelerate endothelialization,
and reduce the risk of restenosis of vascular stents in vivo.
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