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Functional restoration of endothelial cells of the cryopreserved heart valve

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Abstract

Purpose

Although several approaches have been tried to improve the durability of cryopreserved valves, cellular restoration after thawing remains to be investigated. The aim of our study was to assess the functional restoration of endothelial cells of cryopreserved heart valves by in vitro culture for an alternative step to improving longevity.

Methods

Cryopreserved human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and porcine aortic cusps were cultivated for 14 days after thawing. Then the cellular activity of the enzymes cytosolic esterase and mitochondrial dehydrogenase was measured. The cellular viability of cryopreserved cusps was also assessed using confocal laser scanning microscopy.

Results

The number of viable HUVECs decreased markedly after cryopreservation and thawing but recovered to pre-cryopreservation level after 14 days of culture. In contrast, the enzyme activity of the cryopreserved porcine aortic cusps showed recovery at 7 days of in vitro tissue culture after thawing. Confocal laser scanning microscopy findings showed that the cellular cytosolic esterase activity of cryopreserved cusps deteriorated after thawing but displayed considerable recovery by day 14 of culture.

Conclusion

The functional recovery of endothelial cells in cryopreserved heart valves seems to require tissue culture of at least 14 days. Ex vivo endothelial restoration of cryopreserved heart valves may add to heart valve durability.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The University of Tokushima Graduate School of Health Biosciences, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan

    Eiki Fujimoto, Tamotsu Kanbara, Hirotsugu Kurobe, Tatsuo Motoki, Mikio Sugano, Taisuke Nakayama, Takashi Kitaichi & Tetsuya Kitagawa

  2. Department of Pharmacology, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8521, Japan

    Masanori Yoshizumi

Authors
  1. Eiki Fujimoto
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  2. Masanori Yoshizumi
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  3. Tamotsu Kanbara
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  4. Hirotsugu Kurobe
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  5. Tatsuo Motoki
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  6. Mikio Sugano
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  7. Taisuke Nakayama
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  8. Takashi Kitaichi
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  9. Tetsuya Kitagawa
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Correspondence to Tetsuya Kitagawa.

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Fujimoto, E., Yoshizumi, M., Kanbara, T. et al. Functional restoration of endothelial cells of the cryopreserved heart valve. Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 59, 169–174 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11748-010-0711-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11748-010-0711-y

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