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Engineering biomaterials to tailor the microenvironment for macrophage–endothelium interactions

Nature Reviews Materials volume 8, pages 688–699 (2023)Cite this article

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Abstract

Macrophages and endothelial cells (ECs) have essential roles in physiological and pathological conditions by regulating inflammation, vascularization and tissue remodelling. Although the interactions between macrophages and ECs in tissue homeostasis and disease progression have been extensively studied in the past few decades, the role of the extracellular matrix in this intercellular process is less known. Here, we review the current knowledge on how microenvironmental cues, biophysical and biochemical, dictate macrophage–endothelium crosstalk in the pathology of different diseases. We summarize studies using biomaterials as extracellular matrix with tenable properties to manipulate macrophage–EC fate to regulate innate and adaptive immunity, angiogenesis and regeneration. Finally, we discuss the potential and challenges of developing novel therapeutic strategies to tailor macrophage–EC niches to restore homeostasis in various diseases.

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Fig. 1: Examples of in vitro platforms to study macrophage–endothelial cell interactions.
Fig. 2: Therapeutic applications of biomaterials to engineer immune–endothelium interplay.

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Acknowledgements

S.G. acknowledges funding support from the Translational Research Institute for Space Health through NASA Cooperative Agreement NNX16AO69A (RAD0102). L.R. was supported by W81XWH-20-1-0498 and 1(GG014746-47) – Supplement.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA

    Ya Guan & Sharon Gerecht

  2. Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA

    Luigi Racioppi

  3. Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy

    Luigi Racioppi

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  1. Ya Guan
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Y.G. and S.G. contributed substantially to discussion of the content. All authors researched data for the article, wrote the article and reviewed and/or edited the manuscript before submission.

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Correspondence to Sharon Gerecht.

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Guan, Y., Racioppi, L. & Gerecht, S. Engineering biomaterials to tailor the microenvironment for macrophage–endothelium interactions. Nat Rev Mater 8, 688–699 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-023-00591-9

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