Controlled autologous recellularization and inhibited degeneration of decellularized vascular implants by side-specific coating with stromal cell-derived factor 1α and fibronectin

Optimized biocompatibility is crucial for the durability of cardiovascular implants. Previously, a combined coating with fibronectin (FN) and stromal cell-derived factor 1 α (SDF1 α ) has been shown to accelerate the in vivo cellularization of synthetic vascular grafts and to reduce the calcification of biological pulmonary root grafts. In this study, we evaluate the effect of side-specific luminal SDF1 α coating and adventitial FN coating on the in vivo cellularization and degeneration of decellularized rat aortic implants. Aortic arch vascular donor grafts were detergent-decellularized. The luminal graft surface was coated with SDF1 α , while the adventitial surface was coated with FN. SDF1 α -coated and uncoated grafts were infrarenally implanted ( n  = 20) in rats and followed up for up to eight weeks. Cellular intima population was accelerated by luminal SDF1 α coating at two weeks (92.4 ± 2.95% versus 61.1 ± 6.51% in controls, p  < 0.001). SDF1 α coating inhibited neo-intimal hyperplasia, resulting in a significantly decreased intima-to-media ratio after eight weeks (0.62 ± 0.15 versus 1.35 ± 0.26 in controls, p  < 0.05). Furthermore, at eight weeks, media calcification was significantly decreased in the SDF1 α group as compared to the control group (area of calcification in proximal arch region 1092 ± 517 μ m 2 versus 11 814 ± 1883 μ m 2 , p  < 0.01). Luminal coating with SDF1 α promotes early autologous intima recellularization in vivo and attenuates neo-intima hyperplasia as well as calcification of decellularized vascular grafts.