Name: generation and grafting of tissue-engineered vessels in a mouse model
Uploaded: 2015-03-18T14:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Generation and Grafting of Tissue-engineered Vessels in a Mouse Model at JoVE.com

This work was supported by The British Heart Foundation and The Oak Foundation.

Perform all animal experiments according to protocols approved by the Institutional Committee for Use and Care of Laboratory Animals.
1. Preparation of Culture Media
<ol>
	<li>Make culture media for human fibroblast cell line CCL-153: F-12K Medium, 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and 100 U/ml penicillin and streptomycin.</li>
	<li>Make Reprogramming Media for PiPSC generation: Knockout Dulbecco&#8217;s modified eagle&#8217;s medium (DMEM) containing 20% Knockout Serum Replacement, 0.1 mM &#946;-mercaptoethanol, 0.1...

<ol>
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D., Murphy, M., Barry, F., McHugh, P. E., Barron, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Behavior+of+human+mesenchymal+stem+cells+in+fibrin-based+vascular+tissue+engineering+constructs.">Behavior of human mesenchymal stem cells in fibrin-based vascular tissue engineering constructs.</a> Ann Biomed Eng. 38 (3), 649-657 (2010).</li><li>Wong, M. M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Macrophages+control+vascular+stem/progenitor+cell+plasticity+through+tumor+necrosis+factor-&#945;-mediated+nuclear+factor-&#954;B+activation.">Macrophages control vascular stem/progenitor cell plasticity through tumor necrosis factor-&#945;-mediated nuclear factor-&#954;B activation.</a> Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 34 (3), 635-643 (2014).</li><li>Wong, M. 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H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Current+Advances+of+stem+cell-based+approaches+to+tissue-engineering+vascular+grafts.">Current Advances of stem cell-based approaches to tissue-engineering vascular grafts.</a> OA Tissue Engineering. 1 (1), 2 (2013).</li><li>Quint, C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Decellularized+tissue-engineered+blood+vessel+as+an+arterial+conduit.">Decellularized tissue-engineered blood vessel as an arterial conduit.</a> Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 108 (22), 9214-9219 (2011).</li><li>Zhang, X., Xu, Y., Thomas, V., Bellis, S. L., Vohra, Y. K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Engineering+an+antiplatelet+adhesion+layer+on+an+electrospun+scaffold+using+porcine+endothelial+progenitor+cells.">Engineering an antiplatelet adhesion layer on an electrospun scaffold using porcine endothelial progenitor cells.</a> J Biomed Mater Res A. 97 (2), 145-151 (2011).</li><li>Hibino, N., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Evaluation+of+the+use+of+an+induced+puripotent+stem+cell+sheet+for+the+construction+of+tissue-engineered+vascular+grafts.">Evaluation of the use of an induced puripotent stem cell sheet for the construction of tissue-engineered vascular grafts.</a> J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 143 (3), 696-703 (2012).</li><li>Zhao, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+novel+strategy+to+engineer+small-diameter+vascular+grafts+from+marrow-derived+mesenchymal+stem+cells.">A novel strategy to engineer small-diameter vascular grafts from marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.</a> Artif Organs. 36 (1), 93-101 (2012).</li><li>Tsai, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Contribution+of+stem+cells+to+neointimal+formation+of+decellularized+vessel+grafts+in+a+novel+mouse+model.">Contribution of stem cells to neointimal formation of decellularized vessel grafts in a novel mouse model.</a> Am J Pathol. 181 (1), 362-373 (2012).</li><li>Kasimir, M. 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The current protocol indicates a sound, fast, simple, efficient and reproducible strategy in which functional tissue engineered vessels can be generated using PiPSC from human fibroblasts. This technique represents a valuable tool for regenerative medicine, tissue engineering and potentially patient-specific cell therapy in the near future. Critical steps to ensure the efficacy of the protocol include the preparation of PiPSC, preparation of sterile and fully decellularized aortic grafts, successful seeding and different...

The construction of vascular conduits is a fundamental strategy for surgical repair of damaged and injured vessels resulting from cardiovascular diseases. To date, graft materials used in surgery include biocompatible synthetic polymers (polytetrafluoroethylene [Teflon], expanded polytetrafluoroethylene [ePTFE; Gore-Tex] or polyethylene terephthalate [Dacron]), allografts, autologous tissue (pericardium or saphenous vein) and xenografts1. Whilst artificial grafts (e.g., Gore-Tex and Dacron) are most commonly used, these materials likely cause numerous short- and long-term complications that include stenosis, calcium deposition, thrombo-embolization and infections. Although patients with biological grafts present with decreased thrombo-embolic events, they still encounter limitations such as secondary graft failure and shortened durability owing to calcification degradation2. Therefore, despite significant improvements in surgical techniques over the years, researchers and clinicians are still burdened with the need for identifying the ideal conduit for vascular diseases. More recently, the research field of vascular tissue engineering has generated a concept in which cells are incorporated into biodegradable scaffolds, with the aim of creating a biomimetic environment that epitomizes a functional vessel for successful grafting1. Fundamentally, the success of the vascular constructs depend on three essential components; cells that comprise the scaffold, i.e., an endothelial cell inner layer and a smooth muscle cell layer, a scaffold containing the appropriate extracellular matrix to provide mechanical properties comparable to the native vasculature, and the molecular/cellular signaling that is required for initiating/regulating repair.
Long term graft patency and sustained development of the neo-tissues are highly dependent on effective cell seeding of scaffolds, thereby rendering the decision of cell type of critical importance. Several reports demonstrate the use of mature endothelial and smooth muscle cells from various sources to develop small diameter conduits3-6. Although promising, the lack of sufficient autologous vessels to obtain mature endothelial and smooth muscle cells remain a considerable burden. More recently, stem cells from various sources have been exploited for vascular tissue engineering applications. Indeed, a variety of stem cell types including embryonic stem cells7, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)8,9, PiPSC10,11, bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells12, mesenchymal stem cells13, endothelial progenitor cells and adult vessel wall-derived stem cell antigen-1 (Sca-1)+ stem/progenitor cells14,15 have all been demonstrated to be capable of differentiation into either functional endothelial or smooth muscle cells in response to defined media and culture conditions. Furthermore, the unlimited self renewal capacity of the stem cells make them better candidates unlike mature endothelial and smooth muscle cells which can only divide for a finite number of times before undergoing growth arrest and senescence.
The selection of scaffold material to generate successful tissue engineered vessel for grafting depends on several factors such as biocompatibility, biomechanical properties, and rate of biodegradation. Fundamentally, materials used to create scaffolds for the grafts should be biodegradable and will not mount unnecessary recipient immune responses. Additionally, it must encompass a suitable porosity and microstructure for cell attachment and subsequent survival. To date, the most common materials used for scaffolds in vascular tissue engineering include polymers of polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid, and poly &#949;-caprolactone16. More recently, decellularized biological materials have also been applied with some success. Several laboratories have shown that seeding decellularized human, canine or porcine vessels with autologous cells provided a biological graft that resisted clotting and intimal hyperplasia17-19. Other strategies in vascular tissue engineering include extracellular matrix proteins-based vascular grafts e.g., seeding cells in fibrin gel13 and generating cell sheets without scaffold support20, 21.
The current protocol demonstrates the differentiation of human PiPSC into functional endothelial and smooth muscle cells, the generation of a bioreactor consisting of a decellularized vessel scaffold to harbor functional PiPSC-derived vascular cells, and grafting of the tissue engineered vessels into severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice. PiPSC are an optimum cell type to use for tissue engineering of vessel grafts because these cells do not form tumors in mice or raise ethical and allo-immune responses. Furthermore, we have shown that the strategy for generating PiPS-endothelial cells and PiPS-smooth muscle cells is efficient and reproducible10,11. Thereafter, we designed a decellularized vessel for seeding of PiPSC-derived vascular cells to closely mimic the matrix proteins that exists within a native vessel, thus enhancing grafting and survival efficacy. Furthermore, the decellularization of the vessels prior to PiPSC seeding prevents the occurrence of inflammatory responses mounted by immune cell types such as macrophages. More importantly, this protocol does not only represent a methodology to generate promising vascular conduits for translation into humans, but also provides valuable means of studying and understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern vascular tissue regeneration through mouse models.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" >
	<tbody>
		<tr >
			<td >Human Fibroblasts CCL-153</td>
			<td >ATCC</td>
			<td >CCL-153</td>
			<td>Prenatal human embryonic fibroblasts</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >ATCC F-12K Medium (Kaighn&#39;s Modification of Ham&#39;s F-12 Medium)</td>
			<td >ATCC</td>
			<td >30-2004</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Fetal Bovine Serum</td>
			<td >ATCC</td>
			<td >30-2020</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Knockout DMEM medium optimized for embryonic stem cells</td>
			<td >Life technologies (Gibco)</td>
			<td >12660-012</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Knockout Serum Replacement</td>
			<td >Life technologies (Invitrogen)</td>
			<td >10828-028</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Human Basic FGF-2&#160;</td>
			<td >Miltenyi Biotech</td>
			<td >130-093-837</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >alpha-MEM medium</td>
			<td >Life technologies (Invitrogen)</td>
			<td >32571093</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Human PDGF</td>
			<td >R&#38;D System</td>
			<td >120-HD-001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Gelatin Solution 2%</td>
			<td >Sigma</td>
			<td >G1393</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Plasmid 20866: pCAG2LMKOSimO (SOX2, OCT4, KLF4, C-MYC)</td>
			<td >Addgene</td>
			<td >20866</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >&#160;PvuI Restriction Enzyme</td>
			<td >New England Biolabs</td>
			<td >RO150S</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >SureClean Plus</td>
			<td >Bioline</td>
			<td >BIO-37047</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Nucelofection Kit (NHDF Kit)</td>
			<td >LONZA</td>
			<td >VPD-1001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Neomycin</td>
			<td >SIGMA</td>
			<td >G418</td>
			<td>Selection of&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >KL 1500 LCD, Illumination for Stereo Microscopy</td>
			<td >SCHOTT</td>
			<td >KL 1500 LCD</td>
			<td>Cold light illumination for stereo microscopy</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Nikon Zoom Steromicroscope SMZ800</td>
			<td >Nikon</td>
			<td >SMZ800</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Heparin sodium salt</td>
			<td >Sigma</td>
			<td >H3393</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >10% SDS Stock Solution Molecular Biology Reagent</td>
			<td >Severn Biotech</td>
			<td >CAS 151-21-3</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Dulbecco&#39;s Phosphate Buffered Saline</td>
			<td >Sigma</td>
			<td >D8537</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Matrigel (10mg/ml)</td>
			<td >BD</td>
			<td >A6661</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Shaker IKA Vibrax with Shaking platform VX 7&#160;</td>
			<td >Jepson Bolton&#39;s, Janke&#38;Kunkel</td>
			<td >S32-102</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Masterflex L/S Digital Pump Drive</td>
			<td >Cole-Parmer</td>
			<td >WZ-07523-80</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Masterflex L/S 6-channel, 6-roller cartridge pump head</td>
			<td >Cole-Parmer</td>
			<td >EW-07519-15</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Masterflex L/S large cartridges for pump head</td>
			<td >Cole-Parmer</td>
			<td >EW-07519-75</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Masterflex platinum-cured silicone pump tubing, L/S 14, 25 ft</td>
			<td >Cole-Parmer&#160;</td>
			<td >WZ-96410-14</td>
			<td >Tubing goes through the peristaltic pump</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >0.5mm ID, 0.8 mm OD Silicone Tubing</td>
			<td >SILEX</td>
			<td >N/A</td>
			<td>Tubings connect incubation chamber, media reservoir and compliance chamber&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Fitting Reducer 0.5 to 1.6, natural Polypropyline</td>
			<td >Ibidi</td>
			<td >10829</td>
			<td>Adapter connect above two types of tubings</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >1/32&#34; Tubing, ID 0.01&#34; (250&#181;m) Material: PEEK</td>
			<td >LabSmith</td>
			<td >T-132-010P</td>
			<td>Tubing through the incubation chamber wall which connects the graft with outside tubing</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >One-Piece Fittings&#160;</td>
			<td >LabSmith</td>
			<td >T-132-100</td>
			<td>Fix the above tubings through the incubation chamber wall</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Nylon tubes (OD 0.9mm, ID 0.75mm)&#160;</td>
			<td >Smiths Medical</td>
			<td >N/A</td>
			<td>Tubings insert into two ends of the aorta graft</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >NOD.CB17-Prkdcscid/NcrCrl mouse</td>
			<td >Charles River</td>
			<td ></td>
			<td ></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Surgical sutures, 8-0&#160; silk</td>
			<td >ETHICON</td>
			<td >W819</td>
			<td ></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Hypnorm</td>
			<td >Vetapharm</td>
			<td >Vm21757/4000</td>
			<td >Neuroleptanalgesic for use in mice</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Hypnovel (Midazolam)</td>
			<td >Roche</td>
			<td >59467-70-8</td>
			<td >Induction of anaesthesia</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Dissecting microscope</td>
			<td >Carl Zeiss</td>
			<td >Stemi 2000</td>
			<td ></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Nylon Tubing</td>
			<td >Portex LTD</td>
			<td >800/200/100/200</td>
			<td >0.65 mm in diameter and 1 mm in length; to make artery cuff</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Electrocoagulator</td>
			<td >Martin&#160;</td>
			<td >SN 54.131</td>
			<td >Ligation of artery branches on aorta</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Bipolar micro hemostat forceps</td>
			<td >Martin</td>
			<td >80-91-12-04</td>
			<td >Fixation of vessel ends</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Vessel Dilator</td>
			<td >S&#38;T</td>
			<td >JFX-7</td>
			<td ></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Vessel Dilator</td>
			<td >S&#38;T</td>
			<td >JFL-3dZ</td>
			<td ></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Vessel Dilator</td>
			<td >S&#38;T</td>
			<td >D-5aZ</td>
			<td ></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Mini applier&#160;</td>
			<td >AESCULAP</td>
			<td >FE572K</td>
			<td ></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Micro hemostats clips</td>
			<td >AESCULAP</td>
			<td >FE720K</td>
			<td ></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Surgical sutures, 6-0 VICRYL</td>
			<td >ETHICON</td>
			<td >V489</td>
			<td ></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

generation and grafting of tissue-engineered vessels in a mouse model

The construction of vascular conduits is a fundamental strategy for surgical repair of damaged and injured vessels resulting from cardiovascular diseases. The current protocol presents an efficient and reproducible strategy in which functional tissue engineered vessel grafts can be generated using partially induced pluripotent stem cell (PiPSC) from human fibroblasts. We designed a decellularized vessel scaffold bioreactor, which closely mimics the matrix protein structure and blood flow that exists within a native vessel, for seeding of PiPSC-endothelial cells or smooth muscle cells prior to grafting into mice. This approach was demonstrated to be advantageous because immune-deficient mice engrafted with the PiPSC-derived grafts presented with markedly increased survival rate 3 weeks after surgery. This protocol represents a valuable tool for regenerative medicine, tissue engineering and potentially patient-specific cell-therapy in the near future.

The successful generation of PiPSC was confirmed 4 days after nucleofecting human fibroblasts with a linearized pCAG2LMKOSimO plasmid carrying 4 transcription factors, OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and c-MYC (OSKM). PiPSC displayed a markedly distinct phenotype when compared to fibroblasts (Figure 2A) and expressed the 4 reprogramming factors at mRNA (Figure 2B) and protein (Figure 2C) levels10. The efficacy of a PiPSC-based vascular graft is highly dependent on the abilit...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Generation and Grafting of Tissue-engineered Vessels in a Mouse Model at JoVE.com

Generation and Grafting of Tissue-engineered Vessels in a Mouse Model

Here, we present a protocol to generate tissue engineered vessel grafts that are functional for grafting into mice by double seeding partially induced pluripotent stem cell (PiPSC) - derived smooth muscle cells and PiPSC - derived endothelial cells on a decellularized vessel scaffold bioreactor.

The construction of vascular conduits is a fundamental strategy for surgical repair of damaged and injured vessels resulting from cardiovascular diseases. ...

Research

JoVE Journal

Bioengineering

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In the present study, we combined an in vitro 3D lung tumor model with an in silico model to optimize predictions of drug response based on a specific ...

Applications of In Vivo Functional Testing of the Rat Tibialis Anterior for Evaluating Tissue Engineered Skeletal Muscle Repair

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Neurotrauma and neurodegenerative disease often result in lasting neurological deficits due to the limited capacity of the central nervous system (CNS) to ...

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Surgical management of large tendon defects with tendon grafts is challenging, as there are a finite number of sites where donors can be readily ...

Seeding and Implantation of a Biosynthetic Tissue-engineered Tracheal Graft in a Mouse Model

Treatment options for congenital or secondary long segment tracheal defects have historically been limited due to an inability to replace functional ...

Tissue-Engineered Graft for Circumferential Esophageal Reconstruction in Rats

The use of biocompatible materials for circumferential esophageal reconstruction is a technically challenging task in rats and requires an optimal implant ...