title: Implantation of decellularized small-caliber vascular xenografts with and without surface heparin treatment.
abstract: Heparin treatment of decellularized xenografts has been reported to reduce graft thrombogenicity. However, little is known about the in vivo comparison of heparin-treated with non-heparin-treated xenografts, especially for small-caliber vascular implants. We implanted either a heparin-treated or a non-heparin-treated canine carotid artery as bilateral carotid xenograft in rabbits (n = 24). Small-caliber xenografts (3 approximately 4 mm) were decellularized by enzymatic and detergent extraction and were further covalently linked with heparin. During implantation, thrombosis rate was 4% in the heparin-treated xenografts and 25% in the non-heparin-treated xenografts after 3 weeks (P < 0.05). After 6 months, it was 8 versus 58%, respectively (P < 0.01). Both heparin-treated and non-heparin-treated xenografts harvested at the end of 3 and 6 months showed a satisfactory cellular reconstruction of either smooth muscle cells or endothelial cells. These results indicate that heparin treatment of the small-caliber decellularized xenograft reduces the in vivo thrombogenicity. Both heparin-treated and non-heparin-treated xenografts seem to undergo a similar cellular remodeling process up to 6 months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University Medical College, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xue-Ning
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chang-Zhi
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Y John
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Gu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000637:transplantation*; D004285:Dogs; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular; D006493:Heparin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D023421:Models, Animal; D011817:Rabbits; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000276:immunology / Q000379:methods*; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex; D014654:Vascular Patency / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D006493:Heparin