Abstract
Enzymatic-detergent decellularization treatments may use a combination of chemical reagents to reduce vascular tissue to sterilized scaffolds, which may be seeded with endothelial cells and implanted with a low risk of rejection. However, these chemicals may alter the mechanical properties of the native tissue and contribute to graft compliance mismatch. Uniaxial tensile data obtained from native and decellularized longitudinal aortic tissue samples was analyzed in terms of engineering stress and fit to a modified form of the Yeoh rubber model. One decellularization protocol used SDS, while the other two used TritonX-100, RNase-A, and DNase-I in combination with EDTA or sodium-deoxycholate. Statistical significance of Yeoh model parameters was determined by paired t-test analysis. The TritonX-100/EDTA and 0.075% SDS treatments resulted in relatively variable mechanical changes and did not effectively lyse VSMCs in aortic tissue. The TritonX-100/sodium-deoxycholate treatment effectively lysed VSMCs and was characterized by less variability in mechanical behavior. The data suggests a TritonX-100/sodium-deoxycholate treatment is a more effective option than TritonX-100/EDTA and SDS treatments for the preparation of aortic xenografts and allografts because it effectively lyses VSMCs and is the least likely treatment, among those considered, to promote a decrease in mechanical compliance.
Highlights
In the United States, there are over 500,000 arterial bypass operations performed each year [1,2,3]
Protocols A and B do not effectively decellularize the arterial tissue, as blue-stained nuclei appeared in the H&E-stained sections much the same as they appeared in the native tissue section
Xenografts and allografts may be used as alternatives to stiff biomaterial implants such as Dacron and ePTFE, but most current studies have overlooked compliance in the physiological range, have flaws in experimental methodology that affect reported results, or have not directly compared the mechanics of similar native and acellular tissues
Summary
In the United States, there are over 500,000 arterial bypass operations performed each year [1,2,3]. Autologous vessels are preferred as graft materials, up to 40% of patients needing bypass surgery may not have a healthy artery or saphenous vein of suitable length for use as an autograft [4]. Even if suitable venous tissue is available for transplantation, in vivo remodeling due to injury or increased loading may cause occlusion of the vessel [5, 6]. The patient’s native artery will biologically remodel itself to compensate for this mechanical difference and excessive remodeling may occlude the artery. This excessive thickening, called intimal hyperplasia, is the main mode of occlusive graft failure and results in low longterm patency rates for small-diameter arterial grafts
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