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Ramm R, Goecke T, Köhler P, Tudorache I, Cebotari S, Ciubotaru A, Sarikouch S, Höffler K, Bothe F, Petersen B, Haverich A, Niemann H, Hilfiker A. Immunological and functional features of decellularized xenogeneic heart valves after transplantation into GGTA1-KO pigs. Regen Biomater 2021; 8:rbab036. [PMID: 35928180 PMCID: PMC8329474 DOI: 10.1093/rb/rbab036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Decellularization of xenogeneic heart valves might lead to excellent regenerative implants, from which many patients could benefit. However, this material carries various xenogeneic epitopes and thus bears a considerable inherent immunological risk. Here, we investigated the regenerative and immunogenic potential of xenogeneic decellularized heart valve implants using pigs deficient for the galactosyltransferase gene (GGTA1-KO) as novel large animal model. Decellularized aortic and pulmonary heart valves obtained from sheep, wild-type pigs or GGTA1-KO pigs were implanted into GGTA1-KO pigs for 3, or 6 months, respectively. Explants were analyzed histologically, immunhistologically (CD3, CD21 and CD172a) and anti-αGal antibody serum titers were determined by ELISA. Xenogeneic sheep derived implants exhibited a strong immune reaction upon implantation into GGTA1-KO pigs, characterized by massive inflammatory cells infiltrates, presence of foreign body giant cells, a dramatic increase of anti-αGal antibody titers and ultimately destruction of the graft, whereas wild-type porcine grafts induced only a mild reaction in GGTA1-KO pigs. Allogeneic implants, wild-type/wild-type and GGTA1-KO/GGTA1-KO valves did not induce a measurable immune reaction. Thus, GGTA1-KO pigs developed a 'human-like' immune response toward decellularized xenogeneic implants showing that immunogenicity of xenogeneic implants is not sufficiently reduced by decellularization, which detracts from their regenerative potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Ramm
- Leibniz Research Laboratories for Biotechnology and Artificial Organs (LEBAO), Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg Str. 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Tobias Goecke
- Leibniz Research Laboratories for Biotechnology and Artificial Organs (LEBAO), Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg Str. 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
- Department of Cardiac-, Thoracic-, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg Str. 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Peter Köhler
- Institute of Farm Animal Genetics, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Hoeltystr. 10, 31535 Mariensee/Neustadt am Ruebenberge, Germany
| | - Igor Tudorache
- Department of Cardiac-, Thoracic-, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg Str. 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Serghei Cebotari
- Department of Cardiac-, Thoracic-, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg Str. 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Anatol Ciubotaru
- Department of Cardiac-, Thoracic-, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg Str. 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Samir Sarikouch
- Department of Cardiac-, Thoracic-, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg Str. 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Klaus Höffler
- Department of Cardiac-, Thoracic-, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg Str. 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | | | - Björn Petersen
- Institute of Farm Animal Genetics, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Hoeltystr. 10, 31535 Mariensee/Neustadt am Ruebenberge, Germany
| | - Axel Haverich
- Leibniz Research Laboratories for Biotechnology and Artificial Organs (LEBAO), Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg Str. 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
- Department of Cardiac-, Thoracic-, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg Str. 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Heiner Niemann
- Institute of Farm Animal Genetics, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Hoeltystr. 10, 31535 Mariensee/Neustadt am Ruebenberge, Germany
| | - Andres Hilfiker
- Leibniz Research Laboratories for Biotechnology and Artificial Organs (LEBAO), Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg Str. 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
- Department of Cardiac-, Thoracic-, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg Str. 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
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