title: Human adipose-derived stromal cells for the production of completely autologous self-assembled tissue-engineered vascular substitutes.
abstract: There is a clinical need for small-diameter vascular substitutes, notably for coronary and peripheral artery bypass procedures since these surgeries are limited by the availability of grafting material. This study reports the characterization of a novel autologous tissue-engineered vascular substitute (TEVS) produced in 10weeks exclusively from human adipose-derived stromal cells (ASC) self-assembly, and its comparison to an established model made from dermal fibroblasts (DF). Briefly, ASC and DF were cultured with ascorbate to form cell sheets subsequently rolled around a mandrel. These TEVS were further cultured as a maturation period before undergoing mechanical testing, histological analyses and endothelialization. No significant differences were measured in burst pressure, suture strength, failure load, elastic modulus and failure strain according to the cell type used to produce the TEVS. Indeed, ASC- and DF-TEVS both displayed burst pressures well above maximal physiological blood pressure. However, ASC-TEVS were 1.40-fold more compliant than DF-TEVS. The structural matrix, comprising collagens type I and III, fibronectin and elastin, was very similar in all TEVS although histological analysis showed a wavier and less dense collagen matrix in ASC-TEVS. This difference in collagen organization could explain their higher compliance. Finally, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) successfully formed a confluent endothelium on ASC and DF cell sheets, as well as inside ASC-TEVS. Our results demonstrated that ASC are an alternative cell source for the production of TEVS displaying good mechanical properties and appropriate endothelialization.
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche en organogénèse expérimentale de l'Université Laval/LOEX, Division of Regenerative Medicine, CHU de Québec Research Centre - Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vallières
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche en organogénèse expérimentale de l'Université Laval/LOEX, Division of Regenerative Medicine, CHU de Québec Research Centre - Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Laterreur
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche en organogénèse expérimentale de l'Université Laval/LOEX, Division of Regenerative Medicine, CHU de Québec Research Centre - Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Maxime Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Tondreau
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche en organogénèse expérimentale de l'Université Laval/LOEX, Division of Regenerative Medicine, CHU de Québec Research Centre - Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruel
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche en organogénèse expérimentale de l'Université Laval/LOEX, Division of Regenerative Medicine, CHU de Québec Research Centre - Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Germain
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche en organogénèse expérimentale de l'Université Laval/LOEX, Division of Regenerative Medicine, CHU de Québec Research Centre - Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fradette
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche en organogénèse expérimentale de l'Université Laval/LOEX, Division of Regenerative Medicine, CHU de Québec Research Centre - Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada. Electronic address: francois.auger@fmed.ulaval.ca.
authors.forename: François A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Auger
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020405:Dermis / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins
keywords: Endothelialization; Mechanical properties; Tissue engineering; Vascular substitutes