[Intravascular biocompatibility of decellularized xenogenic vascular scaffolds/PHBHHx hybrid material for...

Poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate, PHBHHx) has superior mechanical and biocompatibility that may enable it to meet cardiovascular tissue engineering applications. We developed hybrid materials based on decellularized xenogenic vascular scaffolds that were coated with PHBHHx to investigate the intravascular biocompatibility. The hybrid patches were implanted in the rabbit abdominal aorta (hybrid patch, n = 12). Only decellularized xenogenic vascular scaffolds were implanted without coating as control (uncoated patch, n = 12). The patches were explanted and examined histologically, and biochemically at 1, 4 and 12 weeks after the surgery. The hybrid patches maintained original shapes, covered by confluent layer of cells and had less calcification than uncoated control. The results indicated that PHBHHx coating reduced calcification, promoted the repopulation of hybrid patch with recipients cells. In conclusion, PHBHHx showed remarkable intravascular biocompatibility and would benefit endothelization which would be a useful candidate for lumen of cardiovascular tissue engineering.