Cathepsin D activity of venous and polyester vascular grafts implanted in the abdominal aorta of the dog.
Autogenous veins and polyester prostheses were implanted in the abdominal aorta of dogs. The venous or polyester grafts were removed together with sections of the normal arteries and veins 1 month, 4 months, and 3 years after the operation. This material was then dissected into the intimal, medial, and adventitial layers, and homogenized after which their cathepsin D activity was determined. It was found that the cathepsin D activity was far higher in all the layers of the venous grafts, particularly in the polyester grafts, than in the corresponding layers of the normal arteries and veins.
D000818:Animals; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000502:physiology*; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004285:Dogs; D008297:Male; D011091:Polyesters; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014680:Veins / Q000637:transplantation*
D011091:Polyesters; D011506:Proteins; D002403:Cathepsins