The cytocompatibility of compound polyester-protein surfaces using an in vitro technique

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Vascular Surgery
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Porous polyester (Dacron) vascular prostheses often require preclotting.
• Endothelial cell growth and adhesion are crucial for graft integration.
• Protein coatings can potentially enhance the biocompatibility of vascular grafts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess protein coatings (albumin, collagen, albumin-collagen) on different polyester fabric structures (woven, knitted, velour).
• To evaluate the cytocompatibility of these coated fabrics using an organotypic endothelial cell culture model.
• To compare coated fabrics with preclotted controls for potential use in vascular prostheses.

Main Methods:

• Coating woven, knitted, and velour polyester fabrics with albumin, collagen, or an albumin-collagen mixture.
• Preserving fabrics in saline or using a commercial dehydration process.
• Assessing cytocompatibility via organotypic culture with chick embryonic endothelial cells for 7 days.
• Quantifying cell migration and observing cell morphology using scanning electron microscopy.

Main Results:

• Knitted and velour polyester fabrics demonstrated superior cytocompatibility compared to woven fabrics.
• Collagen, alone or combined with albumin, generally provided a more cytocompatible surface than albumin alone.
• The albumin-collagen substrate resulted in endothelial cell morphology most similar to natural arterial endothelial cells.

Conclusions:

• Protein coatings, particularly albumin-collagen, can enhance the endothelialization of polyester vascular grafts.
• Knitted and velour fabric structures are more suitable for protein coating and endothelial cell adhesion.
• This approach offers a potential alternative to preclotting for improving vascular prosthesis performance.