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Identification of host and donor cells in porcine homograft heart valve explants by fluorescence in situ hybridization
Author(s) -
Braun Jerry,
Hazekamp Mark G.,
Koolbergen Dave R.,
Sugihara Hiroyuki,
Goffin Yves A.,
Huysmans Hans A.,
Cornelisse Cees J.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
the journal of pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.964
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1096-9896
pISSN - 0022-3417
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-9896(199709)183:1<99::aid-path1086>3.0.co;2-l
Subject(s) - explant culture , in situ hybridization , biology , heart valve , pathology , aortic valve , cryopreservation , biotinylation , transplantation , fluorescence in situ hybridization , anatomy , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , surgery , chromosome , genetics , in vitro , embryo , gene expression , gene
The pathogenesis of the primary tissue degeneration that limits the life‐span of aortic and pulmonary homografts has still not been revealed. Histopathological studies on homograft explants have not given definitive insight into the eventual fate of donor cells, nor have they demonstrated the assumed importance of host cell ingrowth into the graft tissue. In this experimental study, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is introduced as a new approach to examine the distribution of host and donor cells in homograft explants. Aortic valve replacement was performed with a cryopreserved porcine aortic homograft in three pigs; donor and recipient were of opposite sex. After 4 months, the grafts were explanted and examined by FISH using a biotinylated porcine Y‐chromosome‐specific library probe. Following probe detection with FITC‐conjugated avidin, a clear distinction could be made between cells of host and donor origin without distorting the histological integrity of the explants. There was ingrowth of donor cells into the graft aortic wall and into the valve leaflet, to some extent. In all explants, remaining donor cells were present, though decreased in number. The introduction of FISH in homograft heart valve research provides a powerful tool to study the fate of recipient and donor cellular elements in situ , and may therefore contribute to a better understanding of the histopathological processes that take place in transplanted homograft valves. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.