Detergent-based decellularization strategy preserves macro- and microstructure of heart valves

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Cardiovascular Research

Background:

• Biological tissues, particularly xenografts, show promise for heart valve bioprostheses.
• Decellularization is essential to reduce immunogenicity of xenogenic matrices for patient implantation.
• Preserving the extracellular matrix (ECM) architecture is critical for preventing calcification and ensuring scaffold viability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare three decellularization strategies for porcine heart valves.
• To evaluate the efficiency of cell removal and ECM preservation.
• To identify an optimal protocol for creating viable tissue-engineered scaffolds.

Main Methods:

• Porcine pulmonary heart valves were treated with three protocols: trypsin-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (TRP), detergents plus nucleases (DET+ENZ), and Accutase® plus nucleases (ACC+ENZ).
• Histological, DNA, and scanning electron microscopy analyses were performed to assess decellularization efficacy and structural integrity.
• Evaluation focused on cellular removal, DNA content, architectural preservation, and ultrastructure.

Main Results:

• The ACC+ENZ protocol completely removed DNA but disrupted valve architecture and ultrastructure.
• The TRP protocol resulted in incomplete cellular removal and structural degradation.
• The DET+ENZ protocol achieved complete acellularity with intact macroscopic structures, microscopic matrix components, and surface topography.

Conclusions:

• Detergent and nuclease (DET+ENZ) treatment is a superior method for decellularizing porcine heart valves.
• This protocol effectively removes cellular components while preserving ECM integrity, crucial for tissue engineering applications.
• DET+ENZ-treated valves represent excellent scaffolds for future bioprosthetic development.