Anti-calcification ability of branched polyethylene glycol cross-linked decellularized valve

Abstract

Objective To assess the anti-calcification ability of branched polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEG-DA) cross-linked porcine decellularized aortic valves (DAVs) in rabbit subcutaneous model.Methods PEG-DA with a weight of 20 kD was used to cross-link the DAVs which have been modified by SATA.Fresh native aortic valves (NAVs) and DAVs were fixed by 0.625％ glutaraldehyde buffer saline (GA) as control groups.Eighteen samples of each group were implanted subcutaneously in rabbits.Six samples of each group were taken out for calcium staining and quantitative analysis at 2nd,4th and 8th week,respectively.Results Calcium staining showed that severe calcification appeared in GA-NAV group,and the calcium contents at 2nd,4th and 8th week were (22.39 ± 1.79),(93.05 ± 6.08) and (174.97 ± 8.34) μg/mg respectively.Mild calcification occurred in GA-DAV group,and the calcium contents at 2nd,4th and 8th week were (5.57 ± 2.11),(31.15 ± 5.16),and (72.54 ± 6.50) μg/mg respectively.No obvious calcification was observed in PEG group,and the calcium contents in PEG group at 2nd,4th and 8th week were (0.46 ±0.07),(1.68 ±0.10) and (2.92 ±0.25) μg/mg,respectively.There was significant difference between two groups at the same time points (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion PEG cross-linking can remarkably inhabit the calcification of the DAVs in rabbit subcutaneous model. Key words: Decellularized valve; Polyethylene glycol diacrylate; Hybrid scaffold