title: Assessment of immunogenicity and viability of homologous human cardiac valves in vitro.
abstract: Degenerative changes in a proportion of implanted homologous cardiac valves are considered to be due to the immunologic tissue reactions initiated by the donor valves. Sterilization and storage protocols can be used to modulate the immunogenicity of donor valves prior to implantation. Therefore, it is essential to assess the effect of treatment protocols on the immunogenicity and viability of donor valve tissue. The optimal conditions for two novel in vitro tests to assess the immunogenicity and viability of human cardiac valve tissue, the valve cusp cell/responder lymphocyte reaction to assess immunogenicity and the tetrazolium based colorimetric assay to assess viability of valve tissue, are described. The in vitro tests that have been developed in this study will be helpful in assessing the effect of various treatment protocols on the immunogenicity and viability of homologous human cardiac valves.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Leeds, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ketheesan
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Kearney
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ingham
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002470:Cell Survival; D003124:Colorimetry; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006351:Heart Valves / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D014021:Tissue Preservation