Phosphatidylserine-everted erythrocyte membrane vesicles enhance efferocytosis and remodeling of vascular grafts

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Authors: Zihao Wang, Quhan Cheng, Mengxue Zhou, Kexin Feng, Qi Chen, Yi Yuan, Xicheng Zhang, Deling Kong, Kai Wang, Jianglin Wang
Cited by: 1
References: 42

Abstract

Erythrocytes and erythrocyte membrane vesicles have shown promise for personalized drug delivery through passive immune evasion, yet their active role in immune phagocytosis remains largely unexplored. Here, we introduce a paradigm based on phosphatidylserine-everted erythrocyte membrane vesicles that trigger efferocytosis, enabling immune-mediated tissue regeneration rather than immune evasion. Incorporation of these phosphatidylserine-everted erythrocyte membrane vesicles into small-diameter vascular grafts markedly enhances endothelialization, suppresses calcification, and improves long-term patency in a rabbit carotid artery replacement model. Preclinical evaluation in a large canine model further demonstrates superior performance compared with clinically used expanded polytetrafluoroethylene grafts. This study establishes engineered phosphatidylserine-everted erythrocyte membrane vesicles as a versatile, customizable, and cost-effective biointerface for vascular grafts and other blood-contacting devices, providing a compelling strategy to harness innate immune mechanisms for regenerative medicine. Erythrocyte membrane vesicles (EMVs) are promising for drug delivery but their role in immune-mediated regeneration is unclear. Here the authors show that phosphatidylserine-everted EMVs trigger efferocytosis to enhance endothelialization, reduce calcification, and improve vascular graft patency in animal models.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Phagocytosis and Immune Regulation Erythrocyte Function and Pathophysiology Extracellular vesicles in disease

Publication details

Journal / source
Nature Communications
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Volume
17
Issue
1
Publication date
23 April 2026
Language
EN