Fibroblast and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Coating of Decellularized Vascular Grafts Stimulates Undesired Giant Cells and Graft Encapsulation in a Rat Model

• Main Authors: Christoph Heidenhain, Ariyakhagorn Veeravoorn, Blagovest Vachkov, Wilko Weichert, Gerhard Schmidmaier, Britt Wildemann, Peter Neuhaus, Michael Heise
• Format: Journal
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Chemical Engineering; Engineering; Materials Science; Medicine
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=78651418247&origin=inward; http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/jspui/handle/6653943832/49801
• Institution: Chiang Mai University

Replacing an infected prosthesis with a bioimplant provides a hopeful alternative in septic vascular surgery. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of fibroblast endothelial growth factors (FGF) and vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) coating on a decellularized vascular graft in a rat model and the possible impact on recellularization processes. Rat aortas were decellularized, crosslinked with genipin, and coated with poly-(D, L) lactide containing either FGF or VEGF. Observation periods were 6 and 12 weeks. Surprisingly, we found moderate accumulation of giant cells around the grafts that contained poly-(D, L) lactide acid. FGF and VEGF grafts showed massive stimulation of giant cells and eosinophils leading to complete graft encapsulation (P < 0.05). Pseudointmal hyperplasia was significantly increased in the FGF group (P < 0.05). Both results can only be interpreted as very negative. We achieved a situation in diametric opposition to that which we had hoped for. These data demonstrate that the use of growth factors may produce harmful side effects. © 2010, the Authors. Artificial Organs © 2010, International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.