Abstract 225: Parallel and Divergent Patterns of Gene Expression in Human Arteriovenous Fistula Maturation and Stenosis

Background: The biologic mechanisms that differentiate successful arteriovenous fistula (AVF) maturation from stenosis are not well understood. The brachiobasilic transposition offers an opportunity for studying the vascular remodeling process. This procedure is a two stage process: first to create a brachiobasilic AVF and second, to transpose the AVF near the skin in a delayed fashion, allowing the opportunity to harvest naive vein, mature and stenotic AVF tissue. Identifying the molecular differences with regards to success (maturation) or failure (stenosis) are vital both for dialysis access care and as a model of vein remodeling on exposure to arterial flow. We hypothesize that basilic vein transposition (BVT) can be utilized as a unique means with which to study the biologic factors that affect stenosis and maturation. Methods/Results: Vein tissue was obtained at the time of initial access creation as naive segments and again at the time of basilic vein transposition (following venous “arterializatio...