Immunological Evaluation of Acellular Extracellular Matrix Upon Transplantation
1Laboratory for Transplantation Regenerative Medicine, Surgery, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden
2Department of Surgery, SU/Sahlgrenska University Hospital, SE 41345, Gothenburg, Sweden
3Cardiothoracic Surgery, Transplant Institute, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Meeting: 2015 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: B293
Keywords: Graft survival, Graft-infiltrating lymphocytes, Immunogenicity, Xenotransplantation
Session Information
Session Name: Poster Session B: Vascularized Composite Tissue Allografts and Xenotransplantation
Session Type: Poster Session
Date: Sunday, May 3, 2015
Session Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm
Presentation Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm
Location: Exhibit Hall E
Background : To mitigate the scanty supply of donor organs, porcine tissues can be utilized since, it embrace the potential to accomplish the task of human organs. However it can exacerbate the problem of rejection, efficacy and disease risk because of cellular and nuclear material of xeno origin. In this regard, the practice of decellularizing donor organ and repopulating it with recipient cells is budding drastically. However the question of whether, the extracellular matrix (ECM) from donor organ, on its own, is immunogenic after transplantation is in chaos. In current study we have examined the decellularized cardiac tissue for its immunological properties.
Method : Antigenic response of randomly selected piece of decellularised cardiac scaffold from pig was checked using immune competent Balb/C mouse model. Graft was placed over the glandular part of stomach and sutured with omentum. Transplanted tissue was scrutinized at various time points from 3 days to 3 months to characterize the immune response at various stages after transplantation.
Results : Upon transplantation the decellularised scaffold did not show any signs of necrosis or excessive deposition of collagen. Thrombosis was not observed since tissue was devoid of donor cells. There was no capsule formation surrounding to donor tissue by recipient's immune cells. Transplanted tissue was not destructed by recipient's immune system. In some animals it was recognized but treated as inert by immune system while in some animals it was recognized and remodeled but not destructed.
Conclusions : The ECM of porcine cardiac scaffolds do not trigger any hyper acute, acute or chronic rejection. ECM being evolutionarily conserved can provide 3D architecture on which cells from human species can be safely seeded. Porcine tissues can alleviate the problem of donor scarcity for transplantation purpose.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Ketaki M, Pradeep P, Nikhil N, Dellgren G, Suchitra H, Olausson M. Immunological Evaluation of Acellular Extracellular Matrix Upon Transplantation [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2015; 15 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/immunological-evaluation-of-acellular-extracellular-matrix-upon-transplantation/. Accessed May 30, 2025.« Back to 2015 American Transplant Congress