title: Arterial embolization using poly-N-acetyl glucosamine gel in a rat kidney model.
abstract: Aqueous solutions of poly-N-acetyl glucosamine (p-GlcNAc) exhibit a liquid-gel transition at physiological pH and temperature. This feature inspired the authors to conduct a study to evaluate the macro- and histological changes of rat kidneys after embolization using either p-GlcNAc gel injection into the renal artery or ligation of the renal artery. The procedures were performed in 46 rats through open abdominal surgeries. Animals were sacrificed at 3 days and at 1, 3, 5, and 8 weeks postoperatively. The results of both macro-observation and histological study showed that p-GlcNAc gels were effective in causing necrosis and subsequent fibrosis in all embolized kidneys. The data indicate that p-GlcNAc gel may have promise as an effective agent for therapeutic embolization.
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA.
authors.forename: Qian K
authors.initials: QK
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Yuehuei H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Patricia L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Marina V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Demcheva
authors.forename: John N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Vournakis
mesh_terms: D000117:Acetylglucosamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D023421:Models, Animal; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000473:pathology; D012078:Renal Artery Obstruction / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D011134:Polysaccharides; C113831:poly-N-acetyl glucosamine; D000117:Acetylglucosamine