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Proanthocyanidin: a natural crosslinking reagent for stabilizing collagen matrices
Bo Han1, Jason Jaurequi, Bao Wei Tang
1Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Biochemistry and Orthopaedics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2011 Zonal Avenue, HMR-810, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
Journal of Biomedical Materials Research. Part A
|March 14, 2003
Summary
Grape seed proanthocyanidin (PA) offers a less toxic alternative to glutaraldehyde for fixing biological tissues. PA-fixed tissues promote cell ingrowth and collagen expression, showing promise for tissue engineering applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Glutaraldehyde (GA) is a common tissue stabilizer but exhibits significant cytotoxicity.
- There is a need for safer and more effective crosslinking agents for biopolymers and tissue fixation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate grape seed proanthocyanidin (PA) as a crosslinking reagent for biological tissues.
- To compare the cytotoxicity, degradation, and biological response of PA-fixed tissues with GA-fixed tissues.
Main Methods:
- Cytotoxicity assays using fibroblast cultures.
- In vitro degradation studies using bacterial collagenase.
- In vivo subcutaneous implantation in animal models for up to 6 weeks.
- Assessment of collagen expression, cell migration, and calcification.
Main Results:
- PA fixation increased tissue shrinkage temperature and resistance to collagenase digestion.
- PA demonstrated ~120 times lower cytotoxicity than GA.
- PA-fixed tissues showed enhanced fibroblast migration, proliferation, collagen expression, and no calcification post-implantation.
- GA-fixed tissues remained cytotoxic and induced calcification.
Conclusions:
- Proanthocyanidin (PA) is a safe and effective crosslinking agent for biological tissues, outperforming glutaraldehyde (GA).
- PA promotes favorable cellular responses, making it valuable for tissue engineering scaffolds.
- PA-based crosslinking offers a promising strategy for developing advanced biomaterials for tissue regeneration.