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Surgical Preparation Reduces Hydrogen Sulfide Released from Human Saphenous Veins in Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

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Abstract

The long-term patency rate of saphenous vein (SV) grafts is poor compared to arterial grafts. To investigate the effects of surgical preparation (distention) of SV on hydrogen sulfide (H2S) released from the endothelium, human SV segments were harvested from 43 patients during coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). Acetylcholine (ACh) induced relaxation that was inhibited by NG-nitro-L-arginine + indomethacin and cysteine aminotransferase inhibitor aminooxyacetic acid in the normal SV. In contrast, ACh did not evoke relaxation in the distended SV (DSV). The concentration of H2S quantified by methylene blue assay in DSV was significantly lower than that in control. Transmission electron microscope and immunohistochemistry studies showed that the preparation destroyed the endothelium, smooth muscle, organelle, and vasa vasorum. We conclude that surgical preparation injures the endothelium and smooth muscle of the SV grafts and reduces H2S release from SV. These effects may contribute to the poor long-term patency of the SV graft.

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Abbreviations

SV:

Saphenous vein

DSV:

Distended saphenous vein

IMA:

Internal mammary artery

H2S:

Hydrogen sulfide

NO:

Nitric oxide

EDHF:

Endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor

CABG:

Coronary artery bypass surgery

CAT:

Cysteine aminotransferase

mCAT:

Mitochondrial CAT

cCAT:

Cytosolic CAT

3-MPST:

Mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase

ACh:

Acetylcholine

AOAA:

Aminooxyacetic acid

L-NNA:

NG-nitro-L-arginine

PGI2 :

Prostacyclin

PLP:

Pyridoxal 5’-phosphate

SEM:

Standard error of the mean

TEM:

Transmission electron microscope

EC:

Endothelial cell

SMC:

Smooth muscle cell

VV:

Vasa vasorum

MIT & RER:

Mitochondria and rough endoplasmic reticulum

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [81870288], the Non-profit Central Research Institute Fund of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences [2019XK310001 and 2018TX31002], and Tianjin Science and Technology Committee [18PTZWHZ00060]

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Basic Medical Research & Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin, China

    Chao Yuan, Hai-Tao Hou, Huan-Xin Chen, Jun Wang, Zheng-Qing Wang, Tie-Nan Chen, Xiao-Cheng Liu, Qin Yang & Guo-Wei He

  2. Nankai University, Tianjin, China

    Chao Yuan

  3. Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

    Guo-Wei He

  4. School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China

    Guo-Wei He

  5. Department of Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA

    Guo-Wei He

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  1. Chao Yuan
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Correspondence to Guo-Wei He.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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The clinical relevance:

• The long-term patency rate of saphenous vein (SV) grafts is poor compared to arterial grafts in CABG. We demonstrated that the surgical preparation (distention) of the SV for grafting reduces the amount of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) released from the endothelium due to damage of the endothelium.

• The endothelial damage by the distention procedure of SV during CABG may have an adverse effect on the long-term patency of the SV graft.

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Yuan, C., Hou, HT., Chen, HX. et al. Surgical Preparation Reduces Hydrogen Sulfide Released from Human Saphenous Veins in Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting. J. of Cardiovasc. Trans. Res. 13, 181–190 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12265-019-09925-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12265-019-09925-x

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