title: The Effects of Losartan in Preserving the Structural Integrity of Decellularized Small Diameter Vascular Allograft Conduit Implants In Vivo.
abstract: Decellularization is a proposed method of preparing nonautologous biological arterial vascular scaffolding; however, the fate of the supporting medial elastic fiber, which is important in preserving the vascular structural integrity, is uncertain. The influence of losartan on preserving the medial elastic fiber integrity in decellularized small diameter vascular conduits (SDVC) was investigated. Decellularized infrarenal abdominal aortic allografts were implanted in Sprague-Dawley rats treated either with (study rats, n = 6) or without oral losartan (control rats, n = 6) and graded 8 weeks later according to a remodeling scoring system (1-mild, 2-moderate, 3-severe) which we devised based on the intimal hyperplasia degree, morphologic changes, and elastic fiber fragmentation of the conduits. DAPI immunohistochemistry analysis was performed in 47 (25 decellularization only and 22 losartan treatment) cross-sectional slide specimens. The losartan versus decellularization only SDVC showed a significantly lower medial elastic fragmentation score (1.32 vs. 2.24, P < 0.001), superior medial layer preservation, and relatively more normal appearing intimal cellular morphology. The results suggested rats receiving decellularized SDVCs treated with losartan may yield superior medial layer elastic fiber preservation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul.
authors.forename: Seung Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
authors.forename: Byoung Wook
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
authors.forename: Seong Who
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Suk Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Choo
mesh_terms: D064591:Allografts; D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000637:transplantation* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D004548:Elasticity / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D019808:Losartan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D019808:Losartan
keywords: Losartan; Medial elastic fiber integrity; Small diameter vascular conduits