Effect of decellularization on tissue composition and immunogenicity of porcine and human aortic valves / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the changes of tissue composition and immunogenicity of porcine and human aortic valves after decellularization.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Three cryopreserved human aortic valves and 4 porcine valves were decellularized with trypsin, and the leaflet tissue was homogenized for SDS-PAGE protein electrophoresis and U-937 migration assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Trypsin effectively removed the cells from the valve. SDS-PAGE demonstrated an obvious difference in the tissue composition between porcine and human valves. Although decellularization significantly diminished the differences between the valves, decellularized procine aortic valve stilled contained more protein components (between 26 000 and 43 000) than human valve. U-937 migration assay showed an obvious decrease of cell migration in the valves by decellularization (from 832.7×10(3) to 152.4∓31.1×10(3) for porcine valves, P<0.01, and from 644.9×10(3) to 91.2×10(3) for the human valves, P<0.01). Decellularized porcine valves induced a significantly greater cell migration than decellularized human valves (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Decellularization with trypsin can effectively decrease the immunogenicity of human or porcine heart valve, but can not completely eliminate the antigen, and decellularized porcine valve still retain strong immunogenicity.</p>

Subcutaneous implantation of tissue-engineered heart valve leaflets in nude mice / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the viability of tissue-engineered heart valve leaflets prepared with cell-polymer constructs in nude mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sheep endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells/fibroblasts were seeded on patches of PHA and implanted subcutaneously in athymic mice (BALB/C). The cell-polymer constructs were harvested 12, 14, 21 and 28 days after implantation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Fourteen days after implantation, the cell-polymer constructs exhibited similar color with the autologous tissues, and HE staining showed more numerous cells in the implant. At 28 days following implantation, muscular fibers were formed in the cell-polymer constructs. V-G staining showed positive collagen staining in the implant at 12 days after implantation, while the control implants retrieved 28 days after implantation did not show extensive tissue formation or muscular fiber formation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The cell-polymer constructs can survive in vivo and has the potential to grow into autologous valve leaflets in the nude mice.</p>