Effect of Intensified Decellularization of Equine Carotid Arteries on Scaffold Biomechanics and Cytotoxicity

Decellularized equine carotid arteries (dEAC) are suggested to represent an alternative for alloplastic vascular grafts in haemodialysis patients to achieve vascular access. Recently it was shown that intensified detergent treatment completely removed cellular components from dEAC and thereby significantly reduced matrix immunogenicity. However, detergents may also affect matrix composition and stability and render scaffolds cytotoxic. Therefore, intensively decellularized carotids (int-dEAC) were now evaluated for their biomechanical characteristics (suture retention strength, burst pressure and circumferential compliance at arterial and venous systolic and diastolic pressure), matrix components (collagen and glycosaminoglycan content) and indirect and direct cytotoxicity (WST-8 assay and endothelial cell seeding) and compared with native (n-EAC) and conventionally decellularized carotids (con-dEAC). Both decellularization protocols comparably reduced matrix compliance (venous pressure compliance: 32.2 and 27.4% of n-EAC; p < 0.01 and arterial pressure compliance: 26.8 and 23.7% of n-EAC, p < 0.01) but had no effect on suture retention strength and burst pressure. Matrix characterization revealed unchanged collagen contents but a 39.0% (con-dEAC) and 26.4% (int-dEAC, p < 0.01) reduction of glycosaminoglycans, respectively. Cytotoxicity was not observed in either dEAC matrix which was also displayed by an intact endothelial lining after seeding. Thus, even intensified decellularization generates matrix scaffolds highly suitable for vascular tissue engineering purposes, e.g., the generation of haemodialysis shunts.