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Da Silveira Cavalcante L, Higuita ML, González-Rosa JM, Marques B, To S, Pendexter CA, Cronin SE, Gopinathan K, de Vries RJ, Ellett F, Uygun K, Langenau DM, Toner M, Tessier SN. Zebrafish as a high throughput model for organ preservation and transplantation research. FASEB J 2023; 37:e23187. [PMID: 37718489 PMCID: PMC10754348 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202300076r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Despite decades of effort, the preservation of complex organs for transplantation remains a significant barrier that exacerbates the organ shortage crisis. Progress in organ preservation research is significantly hindered by suboptimal research tools that force investigators to sacrifice translatability over throughput. For instance, simple model systems, such as single cell monolayers or co-cultures, lack native tissue structure and functional assessment, while mammalian whole organs are complex systems with confounding variables not compatible with high-throughput experimentation. In response, diverse fields and industries have bridged this experimental gap through the development of rich and robust resources for the use of zebrafish as a model organism. Through this study, we aim to demonstrate the value zebrafish pose for the fields of solid organ preservation and transplantation, especially with respect to experimental transplantation efforts. A wide array of methods were customized and validated for preservation-specific experimentation utilizing zebrafish, including the development of assays at multiple developmental stages (larvae and adult), methods for loading and unloading preservation agents, and the development of viability scores to quantify functional outcomes. Using this platform, the largest and most comprehensive screen of cryoprotectant agents (CPAs) was performed to determine their toxicity and efficiency at preserving complex organ systems using a high subzero approach called partial freezing (i.e., storage in the frozen state at -10°C). As a result, adult zebrafish cardiac function was successfully preserved after 5 days of partial freezing storage. In combination, the methods and techniques developed have the potential to drive and accelerate research in the fields of solid organ preservation and transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana Da Silveira Cavalcante
- Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Shriners Hospitals for Children - Boston, Boston MA, USA
| | - Manuela Lopera Higuita
- Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Shriners Hospitals for Children - Boston, Boston MA, USA
| | - Juan Manuel González-Rosa
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown MA, USA
| | - Beatriz Marques
- Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Samantha To
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown MA, USA
| | - Casie A. Pendexter
- Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Shriners Hospitals for Children - Boston, Boston MA, USA
| | - Stephanie E.J. Cronin
- Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Shriners Hospitals for Children - Boston, Boston MA, USA
| | - Kaustav Gopinathan
- Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Reinier J. de Vries
- Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Shriners Hospitals for Children - Boston, Boston MA, USA
| | - Felix Ellett
- Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Shriners Hospitals for Children - Boston, Boston MA, USA
| | - Korkut Uygun
- Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Shriners Hospitals for Children - Boston, Boston MA, USA
| | - David M. Langenau
- Molecular Pathology Unit and Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Mehmet Toner
- Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Shriners Hospitals for Children - Boston, Boston MA, USA
| | - Shannon N. Tessier
- Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Shriners Hospitals for Children - Boston, Boston MA, USA
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Development of a Vitrification Preservation Process for Bioengineered Epithelial Constructs. Cells 2022; 11:cells11071115. [PMID: 35406679 PMCID: PMC8998050 DOI: 10.3390/cells11071115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The demand for human bioengineered tissue constructs is growing in response to the worldwide movement away from the use of animals for testing of new chemicals, drug screening and household products. Presently, constructs are manufactured and delivered just in time, resulting in delays and high costs of manufacturing. Cryopreservation and banking would speed up delivery times and permit cost reduction due to larger scale manufacturing. Our objective in these studies was development of ice-free vitrification formulations and protocols using human bioengineered epithelial constructs that could be scaled up from individual constructs to 24-well plates. Initial experiments using single EpiDerm constructs in vials demonstrated viability >80% of untreated control, significantly higher than our best freezing strategy. Further studies focused on optimization and evaluation of ice-free vitrification strategies. Vitrification experiments with 55% (VS55) and 70% (VS70) cryoprotectant (CPA) formulations produced constructs with good viability shortly after rewarming, but viability decreased in the next days, post-rewarming in vitro. Protocol changes contributed to improved outcomes over time in vitro. We then transitioned from using glass vials with 1 construct to deep-well plates holding up to 24 individual constructs. Construct viability was maintained at >80% post-warming viability and >70% viability on days 1−3 in vitro. Similar viability was demonstrated for other related tissue constructs. Furthermore, we demonstrated maintenance of viability after 2−7 months of storage below −135 °C.
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Shardt N, Chen Z, Yuan SC, Wu K, Laouar L, Jomha NM, Elliott JAW. Using engineering models to shorten cryoprotectant loading time for the vitrification of articular cartilage. Cryobiology 2020; 92:180-188. [PMID: 31952947 DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2020.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Osteochondral allograft transplantation can treat full thickness cartilage and bone lesions in the knee and other joints, but the lack of widespread articular cartilage banking limits the quantity of cartilage available for size and contour matching. To address the limited availability of cartilage, vitrification can be used to store harvested joint tissues indefinitely. Our group's reported vitrification protocol [Biomaterials 33 (2012) 6061-6068] takes 9.5 h to load cryoprotectants into intact articular cartilage on bone and achieves high cell viability, but further optimization is needed to shorten this protocol for clinical use. Herein, we use engineering models to calculate the spatial and temporal distributions of cryoprotectant concentration, solution vitrifiability, and freezing point for each step of the 9.5-h protocol. We then incorporate the following major design choices for developing a new shorter protocol: (i) all cryoprotectant loading solution concentrations are reduced, (ii) glycerol is removed as a cryoprotectant, and (iii) an equilibration step is introduced to flatten the final cryoprotectant concentration profiles. We also use a new criterion-the spatially and temporally resolved prediction of solution vitrifiability-to assess whether a protocol will be successful instead of requiring that each cryoprotectant individually reaches a certain concentration. A total cryoprotectant loading time of 7 h is targeted, and our new 7-h protocol is predicted to achieve a level of vitrifiability comparable to the proven 9.5-h protocol throughout the cartilage thickness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Shardt
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Zhirong Chen
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Shuying Claire Yuan
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Kezhou Wu
- Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2B7, Canada; Department of Orthopedic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Leila Laouar
- Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2B7, Canada
| | - Nadr M Jomha
- Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2B7, Canada
| | - Janet A W Elliott
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 1H9, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2R7, Canada.
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Biermann AC, Marzi J, Brauchle E, Schneider M, Kornberger A, Abdelaziz S, Wichmann JL, Arendt CT, Nagel E, Brockbank KGM, Seifert M, Schenke-Layland K, Stock UA. Impact of T-cell-mediated immune response on xenogeneic heart valve transplantation: short-term success and mid-term failure. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2018; 53:784-792. [PMID: 29186380 DOI: 10.1093/ejcts/ezx396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Allogeneic frozen cryopreserved heart valves (allografts or homografts) are commonly used in clinical practice. A major obstacle for their application is the limited availability in particular for paediatrics. Allogeneic large animal studies revealed that alternative ice-free cryopreservation (IFC) results in better matrix preservation and reduced immunogenicity. The objective of this study was to evaluate xenogeneic (porcine) compared with allogeneic (ovine) IFC heart valves in a large animal study. METHODS IFC xenografts and allografts were transplanted in 12 juvenile merino sheep for 1-12 weeks. Immunohistochemistry, ex vivo computed tomography scans and transforming growth factor-β release profiles were analysed to evaluate postimplantation immunopathology. In addition, near-infrared multiphoton imaging and Raman spectroscopy were employed to evaluate matrix integrity of the leaflets. RESULTS Acellular leaflets were observed in both groups 1 week after implantation. Allogeneic leaflets remained acellular throughout the entire study. In contrast, xenogeneic valves were infiltrated with abundant T-cells and severely thickened over time. No collagen or elastin changes could be detected in either group using multiphoton imaging. Raman spectroscopy with principal component analysis focusing on matrix-specific peaks confirmed no significant differences for explanted allografts. However, xenografts demonstrated clear matrix changes, enabling detection of distinct inflammatory-driven changes but without variations in the level of transforming growth factor-β. CONCLUSIONS Despite short-term success, mid-term failure of xenogeneic IFC grafts due to a T-cell-mediated extracellular matrix-triggered immune response was shown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Biermann
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Royal Brompton and Harefield Foundation Trust, Harefield, UK.,Department of Women's Health, Research Institute for Women's Health, Eberhard-Karls-University, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Julia Marzi
- Department of Women's Health, Research Institute for Women's Health, Eberhard-Karls-University, Tuebingen, Germany.,Department of Cell and Tissue Engineering, Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology (IGB), Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Eva Brauchle
- Department of Women's Health, Research Institute for Women's Health, Eberhard-Karls-University, Tuebingen, Germany.,Department of Cell and Tissue Engineering, Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology (IGB), Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Maria Schneider
- Institue of Medical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Center of Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Angela Kornberger
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Sherif Abdelaziz
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Julian L Wichmann
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Christophe T Arendt
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Eike Nagel
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Kelvin G M Brockbank
- Tissue Testing Technologies LLC, North Charleston, SC, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, North Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Martina Seifert
- Institue of Medical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Center of Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katja Schenke-Layland
- Department of Women's Health, Research Institute for Women's Health, Eberhard-Karls-University, Tuebingen, Germany.,Department of Cell and Tissue Engineering, Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology (IGB), Stuttgart, Germany.,Department of Medicine / Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Laboratories, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ulrich A Stock
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Royal Brompton and Harefield Foundation Trust, Harefield, UK.,Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Magdi Yacoub Institute, Heart Science Centre, Harefield, UK
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Baust JM, Campbell LH, Harbell JW. Best practices for cryopreserving, thawing, recovering, and assessing cells. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim 2017; 53:855-871. [DOI: 10.1007/s11626-017-0201-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Huber AJT, Brockbank KGM, Aberle T, Schleicher M, Chen ZZ, Greene ED, Lisy M, Stock UA. Development of a simplified ice-free cryopreservation method for heart valves employing VS83, an 83% cryoprotectant formulation. Biopreserv Biobank 2015; 10:479-84. [PMID: 24845133 DOI: 10.1089/bio.2012.0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We have previously demonstrated storage of ice-free cryopreserved heart valves at -80°C without the need for liquid nitrogen, with the aims of decreasing manufacturing costs and reducing employee safety hazards. The objectives of the present study were a further simplification of the ice-free cryopreservation method and characterization of tissue viability. Porcine pulmonary heart valves were permeated with an 83% cryoprotectant solution (VS83) followed by rapid cooling and storage at -80°C. The cryoprotectants were added and removed in either single or multiple steps. Fresh untreated frozen controls employing 10% dimethylsulfoxide and controlled rate freezing to -80°C, and storage in vapor phase nitrogen were also performed. After rewarming and washing, cryopreserved leaflets were compared with fresh controls using the resazurin reduction metabolism assay. Comparison of valve tissues in which the cryoprotectants were added and removed in either single or multiple steps demonstrated similar viability results for the muscle, conduit, and leaflet components. The ice-free cryopreserved conduit and leaflet components were significantly less viable than either fresh or frozen tissues. The muscle component, although less viable, was not significantly different. The changes in tissue viability were a function of cryoprotectant exposure, and resulting cytotoxicity, not temperature reduction during storage. TUNEL staining showed that ice-free cryopreservation did not induce significant amounts of apoptosis, suggesting that necrosis is the predominant cell death pathway in ice-free cryopreserved heart valves. There was very little difference in cell viability when the cryoprotectants were added and removed in a single step versus multiple steps. Ice-free cryopreserved valve tissues demonstrated very low viability compared with controls. These results support further simplification of the ice-free cryopreservation method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes J T Huber
- 1 Department of Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital , Tuebingen, Germany
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7
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Abstract
Application of the original vitrification protocol used for pieces of heart valves to intact heart valves has evolved over time. Ice-free cryopreservation by Protocol 1 using VS55 is limited to small samples where relatively rapid cooling and warming rates are possible. VS55 cryopreservation typically provides extracellular matrix preservation with approximately 80 % cell viability and tissue function compared with fresh untreated tissues. In contrast, ice-free cryopreservation using VS83, Protocols 2 and 3, has several advantages over conventional cryopreservation methods and VS55 preservation, including long-term preservation capability at -80 °C; better matrix preservation than freezing with retention of material properties; very low cell viability, reducing the risks of an immune reaction in vivo; reduced risks of microbial contamination associated with use of liquid nitrogen; improved in vivo functions; no significant recipient allogeneic immune response; simplified manufacturing process; increased operator safety because liquid nitrogen is not used; and reduced manufacturing costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelvin G M Brockbank
- Cell & Tissue Systems, Inc., 2231 Technical Parkway, Suite A, North Charleston, SC, 29406, USA,
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8
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Fahmy M, Almansoori K, Laouar L, Prasad V, McGann L, Elliott J, Jomha N. Dose–injury relationships for cryoprotective agent injury to human chondrocytes. Cryobiology 2014; 68:50-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2013.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2013] [Revised: 09/16/2013] [Accepted: 11/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Abazari A, Jomha NM, Elliott JAW, McGann LE. Cryopreservation of articular cartilage. Cryobiology 2013; 66:201-9. [PMID: 23499618 DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2013.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2012] [Revised: 02/06/2013] [Accepted: 03/01/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Cryopreservation has numerous practical applications in medicine, biotechnology, agriculture, forestry, aquaculture and biodiversity conservation, with huge potentials for biological cell and tissue banking. A specific tissue of interest for cryopreservation is the articular cartilage of the human knee joint for two major reasons: (1) clinically, there exists an untapped potential for cryopreserved cartilage to be used in surgical repair/reconstruction/replacement of injured joints because of the limited availability of fresh donor tissue and, (2) scientifically, successful cryopreservation of cartilage, an avascular tissue with only one cell type, is considered a stepping stone for transition from biobanking cell suspensions and small tissue slices to larger and more complicated tissues. For more than 50years, a great deal of effort has been directed toward understanding and overcoming the challenges of cartilage preservation. In this article, we focus mainly on studies that led to the finding that vitrification is an appropriate approach toward successful preservation of cartilage. This is followed by a review of the studies on the main challenges of vitrification, i.e. toxicity and diffusion, and the novel approaches to overcome these challenges such as liquidus tracking, diffusion modeling, and cryoprotective agent cocktails, which have resulted in the recent advancements in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Abazari
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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Huber AJT, Aberle T, Schleicher M, Wendel HP, Brockbank KGM. Characterization of a simplified ice-free cryopreservation method for heart valves. Cell Tissue Bank 2012; 14:195-203. [PMID: 22711141 DOI: 10.1007/s10561-012-9319-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2012] [Accepted: 05/21/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to characterize the hemocompatibility of ice-free cryopreserved heart valves in anticipation of future human trials. Porcine pulmonary heart valves were infiltrated with either an 83 % cryoprotectant solution followed by rapid cooling and storage at --80 °C or with 10 % DMSO and control rate freezing to --80 °C and storage in vapor phase nitrogen as conventional frozen controls. Cryopreserved leaflets were compared with fresh, decellularized and glutaraldehyde-fixed control valve leaflets using a battery of coagulation protein assays after exposure to human blood. Von Willebrand Factor staining indicated that most of the endothelium was lost during valve processing prior to cryopreservation. Hemocompatibility, employing thrombin/antithrombin-III-complex, polymorphonuclear neutrophil-elastase, beta-thromboglobulin and terminal complement complex SC5b-9, was preserved compared with both fresh and frozen leaflets. Hemocompatibility differences were observed for cryopreserved leaflets versus both decellularized and glutaraldehyde fixed controls. In conclusion, the hemocompatibility results support the use of ice-free cryopreservation as a simplified preservation method because no statistically significant differences in hemocompatibility were observed between the two cryopreservation methods and fresh untreated controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes J T Huber
- Department of Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.
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Vitrification of intact human articular cartilage. Biomaterials 2012; 33:6061-8. [PMID: 22698720 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2012.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2012] [Revised: 05/02/2012] [Accepted: 05/04/2012] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Articular cartilage injuries do not heal and large defects result in osteoarthritis with major personal and socioeconomic costs. Osteochondral transplantation is an effective treatment for large joint defects but its use is limited by the inability to store cartilage for long periods of time. Cryopreservation/vitrification is one method to enable banking of this tissue but decades of research have been unable to successfully preserve the tissue while maintaining cartilage on its bone base - a requirement for transplantation. To address this limitation, human knee articular cartilage from total knee arthroplasty patients and deceased donors was exposed to specified concentrations of 4 different cryoprotective agents for mathematically determined periods of time at lowering temperatures. After complete exposure, the cartilage was immersed in liquid nitrogen for up to 3 months. Cell viability was 75.4 ± 12.1% determined by membrane integrity stains and confirmed with a mitochondrial assay and pellet culture documented production of sulfated glycosaminoglycans and collagen II similar to controls. This report documents successful vitrification of intact human articular cartilage on its bone base making it possible to bank this tissue indefinitely.
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Almansoori K, Prasad V, Forbes J, Law G, McGann L, Elliott J, Jomha N. Cryoprotective agent toxicity interactions in human articular chondrocytes. Cryobiology 2012; 64:185-91. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2012.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2011] [Revised: 01/08/2012] [Accepted: 01/10/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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13
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Huber AJT, Brockbank KGM, Riemann I, Schleicher M, Schenke-Layland K, Fritze O, Wendel HP, Stock UA. Preclinical evaluation of ice-free cryopreserved arteries: structural integrity and hemocompatibility. Cells Tissues Organs 2012; 196:262-70. [PMID: 22414821 DOI: 10.1159/000334544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/12/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Arterial allografts are routinely employed for reconstruction of infected prosthetic grafts. Usually, banked cryopreserved arteries are used; however, existing conventional freezing cryopreservation techniques applied to arteries are expensive. In contrast, a new ice-free cryopreservation technique results in processing, storage and shipping methods that are technically simpler and potentially less costly. The objective of this study was to determine whether or not ice-free cryopreservation causes tissue changes that might preclude clinical use. METHODS Conventionally frozen cryopreserved porcine arteries were compared with ice-free cryopreserved arteries and untreated fresh controls using morphological (light, scanning electron and laser scanning microscopy), viability (alamarBlue assay) and hemocompatibility methods (blood cell adhesion, thrombin/antithrombin-III-complex, polymorphonuclear neutrophil-elastase, β-thromboglobulin and terminal complement complex SC5b-9). RESULTS No statistically significant structural or hemocompatibility differences between ice-free cryopreserved and frozen tissues were detectable. There were no quantitative differences observed for either autofluorescence (elastin) or second harmonic generation (collagen) measured by laser scanning microscopy. Cell viability in ice-free cryopreserved arteries was significantly reduced compared to fresh and frozen tissues (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The formation of ice in aortic artery preservation did not make a difference in histology, structure or thrombogenicity, but significantly increased viability compared with a preservation method that precludes ice formation. Reduced cell viability should not reduce in vivo performance. Therefore, ice-free cryopreservation is a potentially safe and cost-effective technique for the cryopreservation of blood vessel allografts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes J T Huber
- Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany
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14
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Ice-free cryopreservation of heart valve allografts: better extracellular matrix preservation in vivo and preclinical results. Cell Tissue Bank 2012; 13:663-71. [PMID: 22212702 DOI: 10.1007/s10561-011-9288-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2011] [Accepted: 12/19/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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