Inhibitory effects on smooth muscle cell adhesion and proliferation due to oscillating electric fields by nanogenerators

Abstract

A common complication of the removal of atherosclerotic plaques or thrombi deposits to restore blood flow is restenosis. It is known that the excessive adhesion and proliferation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) is the primary reason for restenosis. In this work, we conducted an in vitro study to show that a weak oscillating electric field (EF) generated by a mechanically-driven nanogenerator could prohibit SMC adhesion and proliferation on a substrate surface. Our results revealed a decrease in the cell number when an oscillating EF was introduced underneath the substrate. The cell coverage was found to be dependent on the EF strength and oscillating frequency, where higher EF strength and frequency yielded a stronger inhibitory effect. Compared to the control, this reduction in cell coverage reached up to 54% under the optimal EF parameters. This inhibitory effect was attributed to the EF-induced surface charge oscillation, which weakened the electrostatic interaction between the cell membrane and substrate. Our discovery suggests the potential for self-powered anti-restenosis solutions by integrating NG-induced oscillating EFs with biomedical device surfaces.