Aim: This study evaluates scaffold degradation and neotissue formation as a function of sealant polymer composition in tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs). Materials & methods: Scaffolds fabricated from polyglycolic acid core and sealant composed of polycaprolactone (PCL), poly-L-lactic-acid (PLLA) or 50:50 copolymer poly(ε-caprolactone-co-L-lactide) (PCLA) were analyzed in vitro using accelerated degradation and scanning electron microscopy, and in vivo following implantation in a murine inferior vena cava interposition model. Results: In vitro and in vivo characterization revealed statistically greater degradation of PCLA compared with both PCL and PLLA scaffolds, with similar neotissue formation across all groups. The wall thickness of PLLA TEVGs was statistically greater than PCL TEVGs at 2 weeks postimplant. Conclusion: Results of this study can be used to inform the rational design of future TEVGs.

Non-healing wounds are a major threat to public health throughout the United States. Tissue healing is complex multifactorial process that requires synchronicity of several cell types. Endolysosomal trafficking, which contributes to various cell functions from protein degradation to plasma membrane repair, is an understudied process in the context of wound healing. The lysosomal trafficking regulator protein (LYST) is an essential protein of the endolysosomal system through an indeterminate mechanism.In this study, we examine the impact of impaired LYST function both in vitro with primary LYST mutant fibroblasts as well as in vivo with an excisional wound model. The wound model shows that LYST mutant mice have impaired wound healing in the form of delayed epithelialization and collagen deposition, independent of macrophage infiltration and polarisation. We show that LYST mutation confers a deficit in MCP-1, IGF-1, and IGFBP-2 secretion in beige fibroblasts, which are critical factors in normal wound healing. Identifying the mechanism of LYST function is important for understanding normal wound biology, which may facilitate the development of strategies to address problem wound healing.