Survival and Patency of Saphenous Vein Grafts in a Xenograft Model

The saphenous vein graft (SVG) has been the bypass conduit of choice for over 50 years, but paucity usable autologous remains as limiting factor. We hypothesize transplanted allografts can be used patients with limb-threatening ischemia. A major factor to patency a SVG is immunologic remodeling process, promoting formation intimal hyperplasia; primary cause stenosis and failure. Our goal evaluate new innovative strategies protect from host immune system using rat xenograft model. This accomplished am institutional review board/Institutional Animal Care Use Committee-approved model in which human segments are grafted into rats infrarenal interpositional aortic grafts, after subjecting veins various treatments intended extend patency. reverse accelerates rate failure due extreme difference species biomarkers. have performed SVGs on 47 Sprague-Dawley rats, either no pretreatment, or pretreatment fixatives (glutaraldehyde), decellularizing agents (sodium dodecyl sulfate) at varying concentrations periods time 2 weeks 9 months. Immunofluorescence immunohistochemistry being determine precise localization molecular determinants how they evolve occurs time. Preliminary data our laboratory shows strong reaction implantation SVG, expected. Control (SVGs pretreatment), show degradation early grafting. All pretreated vessels showed greater luminal improved histological appearance compared controls, 3, 6, months; some impeded any progression hyperplasia even also seeing novel cells infiltrating recreating cell wall matrix decellularized graft. successfully tested hypothesis that subjected such when implanted will retain physiological performance controls. research significant implications potentially improving retention future current clinical applications. potential expand availability other humans, animals.