Layer-by-layer incorporation of growth factors in decellularized aortic heart valve leaflets

Aortic heart valve disease is a growing health problem and a tissue-engineered aortic heart valve could be a promising therapy. In this paper, decellularized porcine aortic heart valve leaflets are used as scaffolds and loaded with growth factor and heparin via layer-by-layer electrostatic deposition (LbL technique) with the final purpose to stimulate and control cellular processes. Binding and subsequent release of heparin and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) from aortic valve leaflets were assessed qualitatively by immunohistochemistry and quantitatively by radioactive labeling methods. It was observed that the amount of heparin and bFGF bound to aortic heart valve leaflets was directly proportional to the concentration of heparin and bFGF in the incubation medium. Release of heparin and bFGF from the decellularized heart valve leaflets at physiological conditions was sustained over 4 days while preserving the biological activity of the released growth factor.