Varying levels of 6-keto-prostaglandin F1α and thromboxane B(2) in serum and endothelialization and hyperplasia in small-diameter grafts seeded with CD34+ bone marrow cells in canines

The aim of the present study was to investigate the serum levels of 6-keto-prostaglandin (PG)F1α and thromboxane (TX)B(2), as well as the endothelialization and hyperplasia of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and Dacron prostheses seeded with CD34+ cells in medium-term observation. A total of 24 crossbred dogs were randomly distributed into PTFE or Dacron groups. CD34+ cells were isolated from bone marrow aspirate and collected using an immunomagnetic bead-based system. The PTFE or Dacron prostheses were implanted into the abdominal aortic artery and inferior vena cava of the dogs. In each group, 8 dogs were implanted with prostheses that had been seeded with CD34+ cells, while 4 dogs were implanted with prostheses that had been seeded with autogenous blood as a control. Serum concentrations of 6-keto-PGF1α and TXB(2) were determined at days 0, 10, 30 and 60 following surgery. The grafts were removed and examined at days 10, 30, 60 and 100 following surgery. Finally, CD34 factor staining was used to identify endothelial cells, while light and electron microscopy were applied to examine endothelialization and patency. The results revealed that confluent endothelial cells appeared on the neointima of prostheses seeded with CD34+ cells at day 30 following surgery. In the control groups compared with the experimental groups, there were fewer endothelial cells and the neointima was significantly thicker in the arterial (PTFE, 174±1.41 vs. 117±2.83 μm, respectively; P=0.001; Dacron, 187.5±3.5 vs. 100±1.41 μm, respectively; P<0.001) and venous (PTFE, 230.5±6.36 vs. 135±5.66 μm, respectively; P=0.001; Dacron, 249±2.83 vs. 121.5±3.54 μm, respectively; P<0.001) prostheses. In the experimental groups, intimal hyperplasia in the venous prostheses (PTFE, 135±5.66 μm; Dacron, 121.5±3.54 μm) was more severe compared with that in the arterial prostheses (PTFE, 117±2.83 μm; Dacron, 100±1.41 μm) at day 60. Compared with the 6-keto-PGF1α concentrations in the experimental groups, those in the control groups were significantly lower on day 10 (PTFE, 135±6.01 vs. 80.5±4.35 pg/l, respectively; P=0.001; Dacron, 145±6.54 vs. 81.2±5.10 pg/l, respectively; P<0.001) and were then maintained at a lower level. By contrast, the TXB(2) concentration, following marked increases on day 10 in the experimental and control groups (PTFE, 635±32.8 vs. 1,256±63.5 pg/l, respectively; P<0.001; Dacron, 652±30.9 vs. 1,136±53.2 pg/l, respectively; P=0.001), remained at a high level in the control groups. Therefore, the results of the present study indicate that it is possible to achieve rapid endothelialization in PTFE or Dacron prostheses by implanting CD34+ cells. Endothelialization inhibited the reduction in the concentration of 6-keto-PGF1α and the increase in the concentration of TXB(2). In addition, endothelialization inhibited excessive intimal hyperplasia and thrombosis. Thus, CD34+ cell seeding provides a theoretical basis for the clinical application of artificial vessel endothelialization.