The Effect of Cryopreservation on the Immunogenicity of Allogeneic Cardiac Valves

• Published in: Cryobiology 1996-02, Vol.33 (1), p.41-53
• Main Authors: KETHEESAN, NATKUNAM, KEARNEY, JOHN N., INGHAM, EILEEN
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Animals; Aortic Valve - immunology; Aortic Valve - metabolism; Aortic Valve - transplantation; Biological and medical sciences; Bioprosthesis; Clinical death. Palliative care. Organ gift and preservation; Cryopreservation; Female; Heart Valve Prosthesis; In Vitro Techniques; Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; Medical sciences; Models, Biological; Rats; Rats, Inbred BN; Rats, Inbred Lew; Transplantation Immunology; Transplantation, Homologous
• ISSN: 0011-2240; 1090-2392
• DOI: 10.1006/cryo.1996.0005

A proportion of implanted cryopreserved allogeneic cardiac valves (ACV) fail due to tissue degeneration initiated by immunological reactions. This study was carried out in a rat model system [Brown Norway (BN; RT1n) to Lewis (RT1l)] to determine the possibility of cryoimmunomodulation of ACV. The immunogenicity of fresh and cryopreserved (1°, 5°, 10°, 30°, and >100°C/min) BN aortic valve conduits (AVC) was assessed using a mixed AVC cell/responder lymphocyte reaction. No significant differences (p> 0.05) in immunogenicity between fresh and cryopreserved (1°C/min and 5°C/min) AVC were observed between 120 and 168 h of co-culture. A significant reduction in immunogenicity was observed with AVC cryopreserved using cooling rates of 10°, 30°, and >100°C/min. The viability of fresh and cryopreserved AVC was determined by a [3H]proline uptake assay. A decrease in viability was observed at cooling rates of more than 1°C/min. The feasibility of cryoimmunomodulation of ACV with the maintenance of viability of a proportion of cells was demonstrated.