[1PS-113]
우수논문발표상 응모자A VEGF-mimetic peptide facilitates the cost-effective differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells into endothelial cells targeting ischemic diseases
발표자김영진 (동국대학교)
연구책임자이수홍 (동국대학교)
Abstract
Ischemic diseases, caused by oxygen deficiency, often lead to irreversible tissue damage and organ failure. Cardiovascular diseases, causing about 17.9 million deaths annually, are mostly ischemic, highlighting the need for effective therapies. Endothelial cell (EC) transplantation can help restore blood flow, but adult-derived ECs have limited availability and function. iPSC-derived ECs offer a promising alternative, typically using vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is costly and may cause side effects. VEGF-mimetic peptides like QK are cheaper, more stable, and specific. This study showed that QK effectively induced EC differentiation from iPSCs and enhanced angiogenesis in HUVECs, with results comparable to VEGF. Both VEGF- and QK-induced iECs expressed endothelial markers and showed similar tube formation and regenerative ability in vivo. These findings support QK as a cost-effective VEGF substitute for generating iECs to treat ischemic diseases.