Bi-Functional RGD Peptide to Promote Therapeutic Angiogenesis, Treat Ischemic Diseases

This bi-functional RGD peptide helps identify ligands and improve functions of endothelial cells, allowing for the development of biomaterials to treat ischemic diseases. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, over 795,000 people in the United States suffer a stroke each year. Of these cases, 87 percent are caused by ischemia – the restriction of blood flow to tissue. Ischemia causes a reduction in oxygen and energy as well as a build-up of waste products for tissues and organs. In severe cases, it can cause organ failure and lead to diseases such as ischemic heart disease or stroke. Recent research, however, suggests therapeutic angiogenesis holds remarkable promise to treat ischemic diseases and for developing viable tissue engineering strategies. To this end, Clemson University researchers have combined modern bioinformatics and a newly established peptide-functionalized hydrogel microarray to identify a bi-functional RGD peptide that promotes therapeutic angiogenesis. This discovery allows for the development of multi-functional biomaterials for treating ischemic diseases and the fabrication of pre-vascularized tissue engineering constructs.