ENDOTHELIAL-CELL COMPATIBILITY TESTING OF VARIOUS PROSTHETIC SURFACES

Numerous methods are proposed to reduce the surface thrombogenicity of vascular prostheses, among them endothelialization of the lumen which has had clinical application since 1985. One of the problems is to collect enough cells to rapidly obtain a complete monolayer at the time of implantation. Thus, material improvements are necessary to enhance cell adhesion and spreading. A collaboration with the Bakoulev Institute (Moscow) gave us the opportunity to study the cytocompatibility of carbon coated materials (PAN and Vitlan(R)), polyester coated with albumin and/or synthetic polysaccharide. Studies were carried out with cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Two steps are distinguished: indirect tests (medium added with materials extracts), then direct tests (cells directly seeded onto materials). Neither PAN, Vitlan(R) nor polyesters extracts have provoked a toxic effect on HUVEC. Concerning attachment on materials, a maximum of 60% of seeded cells is reached. Cells could proliferate and confluency is obtained between days 5 and 10 for the best materials. SEM corroborated these results. On polysaccharide-coated polyester (M. 11), HUVEC produced significant levels of vWF after thrombin stimulation (ELISA assay): vWF was functional (ristocetin cofactor activity). In conclusion, PAN and M. 11 gave encouraging results and further studies remain to be investigated.