title: The Immune Responses and Calcification of Bioprostheses in the α1,3-Galactosyltransferase Knockout Mouse.
abstract: The study aim was to evaluate the immune reaction, difference of degenerative calcification, and anti-calcification effect of decellularization with or without α-galactosidase in bovine pericardium and porcine heart valves, using an α1,3-galactosyltransferase (α-Gal) knockout (KO) mouse model.
  
  
  
  In order to elucidate the anti-calcification effect of decellularization with or without α-galactosidase, bovine pericardium and porcine heart valve tissues were assigned to four groups according to the tissue preparation method: (i) glutaraldehyde (GA) fixation only; (ii) decellularization + GA fixation (Decell); (iii) α-galactosidase + GA fixation (α-galactosidase); and (iv) decellularization +α-galactosidase + GA fixation (Decell + α-galactosidase). Each prepared tissue was implanted subcutaneously into α-Gal KO mice. Anti-α-Gal immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgM antibody titers were monitored prior to implantation and at four, eight and 12 weeks after implantation using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Calcium contents of explanted tissues were measured at 12 weeks after implantation.
  
  
  
  There were no significant differences in the anti-α-Gal IgG antibody titers according to the type of bioprosthetic material or tissue preparation method (p >0.05). The calcium content was significantly lower in porcine heart valves than in bovine pericardium when implanted in α-Gal-KO mice (p <0.001). Calcium contents in bovine pericardium and porcine heart valves were significantly lower in the Decell, α-galactosidase and Decell + α-galactosidase groups than in the GA group (all p <0.05).
  
  
  
  The porcine heart valve induced lower levels of calcium deposition than did the bovine pericardium, but the anti-α-Gal IgG antibody titers did not differ significantly between the bioprosthetic tissues. Decellularization had significant anticalcification effects in both the bovine pericardium and porcine heart valves, though there was no significant difference in the anti-α-Gal IgG antibody titers among tissue preparation methods.
authors.affiliation: Seoul National University Hospital, Clinical Research Institute, Xenotransplantation Research Center, Seoul.|Department of Thoracic and and Cardiovascular Surgery, Dongsan Medical Center,Keimyung University College of Medicine, Daegu, Rpublic of Korea.
authors.forename: Woo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sung Jeong
authors.affiliation: Seoul National University Hospital, Clinical Research Institute, Xenotransplantation Research Center, Seoul.|Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jin Kim
authors.affiliation: Seoul National University Hospital, Clinical Research Institute, Xenotransplantation Research Center, Seoul.|Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul.
authors.forename: Hong-Gook
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Seoul National University Hospital, Clinical Research Institute, Xenotransplantation Research Center, Seoul.
authors.forename: Saeromi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul.
authors.forename: Jeong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ryul Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002417:Cattle; D005404:Fixatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D005700:Galactosyltransferases / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005838:Genotype; D005976:Glutaral / Q000494:pharmacology; D006085:Graft Survival; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006351:Heart Valves / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D064593:Heterografts; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010496:Pericardium / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D010641:Phenotype; D034421:Sus scrofa; D016707:Tissue Fixation / Q000379:methods; D000519:alpha-Galactosidase / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D005404:Fixatives; D005700:Galactosyltransferases; C487611:alpha 1,3 galactosyltransferase, mouse; D000519:alpha-Galactosidase; D005976:Glutaral