Development of xenogeneic decellularized biotubes for off-the-shelf applications

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Vascular Surgery

Background:

• Previous in vivo tissue-engineered autologous vascular grafts (biotubes) require 4 weeks for preparation, limiting their use in emergencies.
• A need exists for readily available, off-the-shelf vascular grafts for diverse surgical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel, off-the-shelf, small-caliber vascular grafts using decellularized, in vivo tissue-engineered xenogeneic materials.
• To assess the feasibility and performance of these decellularized xenogeneic grafts as vascular prostheses.

Main Methods:

• Silicone molds were implanted in beagle dogs for 4 weeks to create tissue-engineered tubular connective tissues.
• These tissues were decellularized using sodium dodecyl sulfate and Triton X-100.
• Decellularized grafts were stored off-the-shelf at -20°C and then xenogeneically transplanted into rat abdominal aortas.

Main Results:

• Decellularized xenogeneic grafts showed no signs of abnormal inflammation or immunological issues in rats.
• Echocardiography confirmed graft patency at 1 month post-implantation.
• Histology revealed neointima formation and cell infiltration, with minimal macrophage accumulation.

Conclusions:

• Xenogeneic decellularized tubular tissues function effectively as small-caliber vascular grafts, comparable to autologous biotubes.
• This technology allows for the advance fabrication and storage of vascular grafts, meeting off-the-shelf requirements.