Table 3 A summary of therapeutic targets that could benefit from lymphatic tissue engineering
| Application | Approach and targets | Clinical outcome | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiac Repair | Induce lymphangiogenesis to create a pathway for inflammatory cell efflux and promote wound healing |
-Rescue lymphatic transport ability -Mobilize macrophages -Reduce inflammation and edema | [54, 48, 253–255] |
| Deliver VEGF-C to promote lymphangiogenesis |
-Smaller ventricular end-systolic volume and improved ejection fraction -Accelerated cardiac lymphangiogenesis and limited collecting vessel remodeling -Decreased cardiac inflammation, fibrosis, and dysfunction | [29, 48] | |
| Inject HA-based hydrogels into peri-infarct region |
-Ejection fraction improved to almost pre-MI baseline levels -Decreased scarring and decreased collagen deposition | [202] | |
| Neurological Conditions | Deliver VEGF-C to rescue impaired meningeal LVs and improve waste drainage from CNS |
-Improved drainage of macromolecules -Improved brain perfusion -Improved learning and memory | [256] |
| Rescue meningeal LVs to decrease amyloid-β deposition in the meninges | -Potential to slow onset of Alzheimer's and other age-related cognitive declines | [268] | |
| Improved Skin Grafts | Incorporate LVs into skin grafts to treat full-thickness skin defects |
-Improved perfusion of oxygen and nutrients in dermal component -Rapid integration, proliferation, and differentiation of skin graft | [261] |
| Improved Wound Healing | Implant hydrogel scaffolds embedded with LECs |
-Accelerated healing rate -Enhanced lymphatic ingrowth -Potential to treat diabetic wounds | [260, 5] |
| Diabetes | Inhibit lymphatic-specific epsin expression | -Prevent degradation of VEGFR3 and negate diabetes-triggered downregulation of lymphangiogenesis | [266] |