Effects of Scaffold Fiber Orientation on Quality of In-Situ Tissue Engineered Heart Valves

Introduction:In situ tissue engineering (TE) of heart valves uses readily available acellular synthetic biodegradable scaffolds that transform in vivo in autologous living valves. This study hypothesized that scaffold fiber orientation that resembles native collagen alignment (i.e. anisotropic) results in superior valve function, mechanical properties, and matrix formation during in situ TE.Methods: Trileaflet heart valve scaffolds of biodegradable ureidopyrimidinone (UPy)-polymers with anisotropic (n=10; fibers in circumferential direction) or isotropic (n=10) fiber orientation were produced and implanted in the pulmonary position in sheep. Functional evaluation with echocardiography was performed. Explants (1, 6 and 12 months) were analyzed to evaluate cellularity, extracellular matrix formation and organization, and mechanical propertiesResults: Seventeen animals survived the entire follow-up time and showed functional valves. Consistently higher-pressure gradients were observed for valves in the anisotropic group (not significant at 12 months). Macroscopic analysis revealed pliable leaflets, with no evident differences between the groups. In both groups, fiber resorption was not completed after 12 months and most pronounced at the cell-rich base. Matrix organization did not show apparent differences between the groups, nor in quantity nor in orientation. Notably, anisotropic valves were stiffer in circumferential direction prior to implantation, which already was negated after 1 month of implantation.Conclusions:In situ TE of pulmonary valves demonstrated sustained functionality up to 12 months. Surprisingly, the predefined scaffold fiber organization did not result in significant differences in the newly formed matrix orientation. Apparently, other cues seem to overrule the effect of predefined fiber organization, limiting our possibilities to guide matrix formation by changing scaffold fiber orientation

Distinct Effects of Heparin and Interleukin-4 Functionalization on Macrophage Polarization and In Situ Arterial Tissue Regeneration Using Resorbable Supramolecular Vascular Grafts in Rats

Two of the greatest challenges for successful application of small-diameter in situ tissue-engineered vascular grafts are 1) preventing thrombus formation and 2) harnessing the inflammatory response to the graft to guide functional tissue regeneration. This study evaluates the in vivo performance of electrospun resorbable elastomeric vascular grafts, dual-functionalized with anti-thrombogenic heparin (hep) and anti-inflammatory interleukin 4 (IL-4) using a supramolecular approach. The regenerative capacity of IL-4/hep, hep-only, and bare grafts is investigated as interposition graft in the rat abdominal aorta, with follow-up at key timepoints in the healing cascade (1, 3, 7 days, and 3 months). Routine analyses are augmented with Raman microspectroscopy, in order to acquire the local molecular fingerprints of the resorbing scaffold and developing tissue. Thrombosis is found not to be a confounding factor in any of the groups. Hep-only-functionalized grafts resulted in adverse tissue remodeling, with cases of local intimal hyperplasia. This is negated with the addition of IL-4, which promoted M2 macrophage polarization and more mature neotissue formation. This study shows that with bioactive functionalization, the early inflammatory response can be modulated and affect the composition of neotissue. Nevertheless, variability between graft outcomes is observed within each group, warranting further evaluation in light of clinical translation