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Heparin Immobilization of Tissue Engineered Xenogeneic Small Diameter Arterial Scaffold Improve Endothelialization

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Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Aims and scope

Abstract

Background:

Autologous vessels graft (Inner diameter < 6 mm) harvesting always challenged during bypass grafting surgery and its complication shows poor outcome. Tissue engineered vascular graft allow to generate biological graft without any immunogenic complication. The approach presented in this study is to induce graft remodeling through heparin coating in luminal surface of small diameter (Inner diameter < 1 mm) decellularized arterial graft.

Methods:

Decellularization of graft was done using SDS, combination of 0.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate and 0.5% sodium deoxycholate and only sodium deoxycholate. Decellularization was confirmed on basis of histology, and DAPI. Characterization of extracellular matrix was analyzed using histology and scanning electron microscopy. Surface modification of decellularized vascular graft was done with heparin coating. Heparin immobilization was evaluated by toluidine blue stain. Heparin-coated graft was transplanted end to end anastomosis in femoral artery in rat.

Results:

Combination of 0.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate and 0.5% Sodium deoxycholate showed complete removal of xenogeneic cells. The heparin coating on luminal surface showed anti-thrombogenicity and endothelialization. Mechanical testing revealed no significant differences in strain characteristics and modulus between native tissues, decellularized scaffolds and transplanted scaffold. Collectively, this study proposed a heparin-immobilized ECM coating to surface modification offering functionalize biomaterials for developing small-diameter vascular grafts.

Conclusion:

We conclude that xenogeneic decellularized arterial scaffold with heparin surface modification can be fabricated and successfully transplanted small diameter (inner diameter < 1 mm) decellularized arterial graft.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are grateful to the Department of Botany, Shivaji University, Kolhapur for extending SEM facility. Dr. Meghnad G. Joshi acknowledges the research funding support from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India (SB/SO/HS/0198/2013) and D.Y. Patil Education Society Deemed University (DYPES/DU/R&D/3104). M. J. conceived the study and designed the experiments. K.T., T.M., N.B., L.C. performed the experiments. M.J. reviewed, M.J., J.K. analysed and interpreted the data. M. J. and K. T. wrote the manuscript. All authors contributed to the analysis of the data and discussed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Meghnad G. Joshi.

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The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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The animal studies were performed after receiving approval Institutional Animal Ethical Committee (IAEC). D Y Patil Education Society,(Deemed Universty) Kolhapur, India. (Approval No: Item No.04 - Sub-item 7).

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Tardalkar, K., Marsale, T., Bhamare, N. et al. Heparin Immobilization of Tissue Engineered Xenogeneic Small Diameter Arterial Scaffold Improve Endothelialization. Tissue Eng Regen Med 19, 505–523 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13770-021-00411-7

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