Suitable Antigens can Attract T Helper Cells that Act to Promote Blood Vessel Regrowth

The immune system is deeply involved in the intricate, complex processes of tissue regeneration, and the research community has much left to catalog of the countless interactions that take place between immune cells and other cell populations during regeneration. One interesting discovery is that a subclass of T helper cells can encourage growth of blood vessels. Thus, given a way of attracting and retaining the appropriate T helper cells in a tissue suffering ischemia, it may be possible to encourage sufficient regrowth of blood vessels to treat conditions involving inadequate blood flow, such as critical limb ischemia. Researchers here report on positive results from an implementation of this approach in mice. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a narrowing of the arteries in the legs or arms. A new approach to generating new blood vessels to treat PAD takes advantage of the surprising combination of implantable biomaterial scaffolds and childhood vaccines. In models of mice with hindlimb ischemia (a severe form of PAD), the technique increased the concentration of T cells at the ischemic site and stimulated angiogenesis, blood flow, and muscle fiber regeneration for up to two weeks. "One of the most exciting aspects of this work is that it provides a new method of enhancing blood vessel formation that does not rely on traditional biologics, such as cells, growth factors, and cytokines, that are typically used to promote vascularization. Also, it more broadly sugges...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs