Multifunctional Coating Based on Hyaluronic Acid Loaded With a Traditional Chinese Medicine Ingredient, Ophiopogon Saponin D, for Potential Application of Cardiovascular Stents

ABSTRACT Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is regarded as the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide within recent decades. Stent intervention is one of the main methods for treating CVD due to its advantages of minimal trauma, fast recovery and fewer complications. However, the main function of existing drug‐eluting stents is anti‐hyperplasia, and their re‐endothelialisation function is still insufficient and needs to be strengthened. In this study, a novel coating containing traditional Chinese medicine ingredient, Ophiopogon Saponin D (OPH), is designed to enhance the re‐endothelialisation function of stents: firstly, the dopamine (DA) and hexanediamine (HD) were co‐polymerised to the bare metal stent, endowing rich‐amino surface (PDA/HD) for conjugating functional molecules by chemical reaction; thereafter hyaluronic acid (HA) containing OPH were conjugated to the PDA/HD. Our data suggested that the OPH coating promoted surface re‐endothelialisation not only by directly enhancing proliferation/migration and inhibiting apoptosis of endothelial cells, but also by regulating macrophages to M2 phenotype and smooth muscle cells to contractile phenotype. Our study may provide inspiration for designing more novel biomaterial coatings using traditional Chinese medicine ingredient.