Simultaneous application of basic fibroblast growth factor and hepatocyte growth factor to enhance the blood vessels formation

Clinical trials of growth-factor therapies for ischemia have revealed several problems, such as immature vasculature, adverse effects of high-dose growth factors, or immune and inflammatory responses of viral vectors. This study demonstrates that the sustained dual release of lower-dose basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) from biodegradable collagen microspheres (CM) can achieve equivalent blood perfusion recovery and more mature vasculature in ischemic limb than higher-dose bFGF or HGF alone. CM does not aggravate focal inflammation in the ischemic limb. This approach may be a highly promising strategy for the future treatment of peripheral vascular disease.