Novel Method to Enhance Sternal Healing After Harvesting Bilateral Internal Thoracic Arteries With Use of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor

Sustained-Release Erythropoietin Ameliorates Cardiac Function in Infarcted Rat - Heart Without Inducing Polycythemia

“…In our earlier studies, gelatin hydrogel microspheres [28][29][30][31] and sheets 6,7 were used as a carrier of SR bFGF. For the purpose of healing of devascularized sternum, we used gelatin sheets incorporating bFGF, for anatomical reasons, 6,7 but in the case of MI, we injected a solution of 100 l containing gelatin bFGF microspheres into several sites of the border zones of MI scar tissue. 28,29 There are several limitations to that therapeutic approach.…”

“…[3][4][5] Recently, we developed a biodegradable gelatin hydrogel sheet incorporating basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), which enabled the bFGF to be released at the site of action for a sufficient time period. 6,7 Several recent studies have demonstrated that erythropoietin (EPO) has protective effects against ischemic injury in the brain, 8 spinal cord, 9 retina, 10,11 kidney, 12 and most recently, in the myocardium. [13][14][15][16][17] EPO treatment has been reported to improve cardiac function in a post-infarction heart failure model.…”

Sustained Release of Prostaglandin E1 Potentiates the Impaired Therapeutic Angiogenesis by Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor in Diabetic Murine Hindlimb Ischemia

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]19,20 Briefly, gelatin hydrogelmicrospheres were prepared by crosslinking glutaraldehyde of gelatin in the dispersed state. Human recombinant bFGF was incorporated into the gelatin microspheres by dropping 20 l of bFGF solution at various concentrations into 2 mg of freeze-dried gelatin microspheres; the microspheres were then left at room temperature for 3 h. At use, the bFGF containing gelatin hydrogel microspheres were dispersed in 100 l of phosphate buffer saline, aspirated into a 1-ml syringe attached with a 27-G needle (TERUMO, Tokyo, Japan), and injected into the 5 sites of ischemic thigh muscles of mice hindlimb.…”

“…31,32 We have shown the efficacy of sustained release of bFGF in several animal and clinical studies. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] We used gelatin hydrogel as a sustained-release carrier for bFGF instead of genetic materials. There have been concerns about the unpredictable duration and level of gene expression or immunity of inflammatory responses of viral vectors.…”

Combined Treatment of Sustained-Release Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor and Sarpogrelate Enhances Collateral Blood Flow Effectively in Rabbit Hindlimb Ischemia

“…Gelatin hydrogel microspheres incorporating bFGF have been developed for sustained-release 9 and we recently demonstrated the effectiveness of a sustained-release bFGF system in various pathological conditions, including hindlimb ischemia. [10][11][12] The dilation of collateral vessels is achieved by administration of a serotonin blocker, sarpogrelate, 13,14 because newly developed collateral vessels are constricted by platelet activation or endothelial dysfunction. 15,16 Thus, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of sustained-release bFGF for potentiating arteriogenesis and angiogenesis, and to determine whether chronic oral administration of sarpogrelate further increases the collateral blood flow in a rabbit hindlimb ischemia model.…”