Decellularization of xenogeneic artery for small-diameter vascular graft: Mild alkaline treatment removes galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose and retains vascular extracellular matrix

5^th International Conference on Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine

September 12-14, 2016 Berlin, Germany

Wing Yue Chan

Singapore General Hospital, Singapore

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Tissue Sci Eng

Abstract :

Decellularization of porcine blood vessels provides an alternative approach to produce small diameter vascular graft (SDVG) of diameter < 4mm required in plastic reconstruction, coronary bypass and peripheral vascular disease. Galactosealpha- 1,3-galactose (�±-gal) is believed to account for hyperacute rejection in pig-to-human transplantation. In proteomics, alkaline treatment serves as one of the non-enzymatic methods in deglycoslation but has not been explored in the area of �±-gal removal in decellularization as pH is usually considered to be damaging to the native extracellular matrix (ECM). This work investigated alkali concentration on removal of �±-gal from porcine carotid artery (PCA), together with its effect on removal of cellular protein and retention of main vascular ECM proteins. PCAs (diameter = 1.5-2mm) were treated with 0, 0.01 and 0.1M alkali at 37oC overnight. �±-gal (Isolectin B4), �±-actin (western), collagen (Direct Red and Sircol�® assay) and elastin (Orcein and Fastin�® assay) were studied in treated arteries to evaluate xenoantigen removal and ECM retention. �±-gal level was reduced with NaOH concentration by about 70�±10% (0.01M) and 80�±5% (0.1M). No �±-actin was detected in 1mg of tissue treated with NaOH. Above 90.0�±2.5% of collagen was retained in PCA treated with 0.01M NaOH but only about 60.0�±7.5% collagen was left at 0.1M NaOH. Furthermore, no elastin loss was observed in all treatments. In conclusion, this study suggests mild alkaline treatment provides a simple and promising treatment to produce SDVG from xenogeneic artery by high degree of �±-gal removal, total removal of �±-actin and high retention of important vascular ECM. (250 words).

Biography :

Chan Wing Yue has completed his PhD in 2010 from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He is currently working as scientific officer in Department of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, responsible for cultured epithelial autograft and skin allograft processing for burn patients.

Email: chan.wing.yue@sgh.com.sg