Inhibitory Effect to Smooth Muscle Cells Adhesion and Proliferation from 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 study, 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 cell numbers when the oscillating EF was introduced underneath the substrate. The cell coverage was found dependent on the EF strength and oscillating frequency, where higher EF strength and frequency yielded stronger inhibitory effect. Comparing to the control, this reduction in cell coverage reached up to a 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 a potential for self-powered anti-restenosis solutions by integrating NG-induced oscillating EF with biomedical device surfaces.