Effect of gallium on in vitro aortic valve cusp mineralization – EDXRF studies

Abstract

The present studies were designed to determine the effect of gallium on the aortic valve cusp mineralization. The studies were conducted on aortic valves collected at autopsy from 35 donors. Each sample was incubated for 21 days in the mineralization-promoting medium, containing Ga at concentrations ranging from 0.0 to 8.0 μg/ml. The elemental compositions of the samples were measured using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) method. The concentrations of 14 elements were determined: Mg, Al, S, Cl, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Br and Sr. Calcium contents and Ca/P ratios were considered as markers of the mineralization process. The aortic valves could be divided into two groups depending on the advancement of the mineralization process. The first group in which the process progressed and the second one which was resistant to mineralization. Ga was accumulated in both groups. The results demonstrated that Ga reduced the aortic valve mineralization in dose-dependent manner in the first group and did not influence the mineralization in the mineralization-resistant aortic valves.