title: Blood vessel-derived acellular matrix for vascular graft application.
abstract: To overcome the issues connected to the use of autologous vascular grafts and artificial materials for reconstruction of small diameter (<6 mm) blood vessels, this study aimed to develop acellular matrix- (AM-) based vascular grafts. Rat iliac arteries were decellularized by a detergent-enzymatic treatment, whereas endothelial cells (ECs) were obtained through enzymatic digestion of rat skin followed by immunomagnetic separation of CD31-positive cells. Sixteen female Lewis rats (8 weeks old) received only AM or previously in vitro reendothelialized AM as abdominal aorta interposition grafts (about 1 cm). The detergent-enzymatic treatment completely removed the cellular part of vessels and both MHC class I and class II antigens. One month after surgery, the luminal surface of implanted AMs was partially covered by ECs and several platelets adhered in the areas lacking cell coverage. Intimal hyperplasia, already detected after 1 month, increased at 3 months. On the contrary, all grafts composed by AM and ECs were completely covered at 1 month and their structure was similar to that of native vessels at 3 months. Taken together, our findings show that prostheses composed of AM preseeded with ECs could be a promising approach for the replacement of blood vessels.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Oncologico Veneto, 35131 Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dall'Olmo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Via Marzolo 5, 35131 Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilenia
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zanusso
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Via Marzolo 5, 35131 Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Liddo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Via Marzolo 5, 35131 Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chioato
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Via Marzolo 5, 35131 Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bertalot
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Via Marzolo 5, 35131 Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrica
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2423-9142
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guidi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Via Marzolo 5, 35131 Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Conconi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000473:pathology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051381:Rats; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures