Degradability of crosslinked albumin as an arterial polyester prosthesis coating in in vitro and in vivo rat studies.
In order to avoid the preclotting procedure in knitted polyester arterial prostheses and in woven models, compound polyester grafts have been proposed, containing preadsorbed collagen or albumin. Since we are currently investigating grafts impregnated with crosslinked albumin, it was decided to establish the degradation rate of this coating after stabilization with either glutaraldehyde (GA) or carbodiimide (CDI). Tests were performed in vitro by incubation in either PBS, plasma or pancreatin and in vivo by implantation in the abdominal cavity of rats. In PBS or plasma in vitro, the coatings were very stable (2% degradation after 144 h incubation), however, in pancreatin the CDI crosslinked albumin degraded much faster than the GA crosslinked albumin (more than 50% degradation in 12 h compared to less than 30% in 48 h). In vivo the degradation rates of the two types of crosslinked albumin were similar (almost all of the albumin having been lost after 4 weeks) but the cellular response was very different: a mild tissue reaction was observed with the CDI crosslinked coating whereas many foreign body giant cells were present on the GA crosslinked material.
D000418:Albumins / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D002417:Cattle; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D011091:Polyesters; D051381:Rats; D013499:Surface Properties; D013997:Time Factors
D000418:Albumins; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D011091:Polyesters