Comparative Analysis of Decellularization Methods on Bovine Pericardium Scaffolds for Cardiac Tissue Engineering

Komang Adhitya Arya Adiputra ¹*, Heroe Soebroto ², Ito Puruhito ²

This study determined the effectiveness of different decellularization methods to optimize bovine pericardium scaffolds for cardiac tissue engineering.

Abstract

Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) involves structural heart abnormalities present since fetal development. Corrective surgery is often the ideal treatment, utilizing implants or scaffolds for tissue repair. However, repeated surgeries may be required due to declining function of grafts, leading to increased healthcare costs. Bovine pericardium is a promising scaffold material for tissue engineering due to its composition of collagen, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), and proteoglycans. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of bovine pericardium scaffolds using different decellularization methods: sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Methods: An experimental study was conducted with bovine pericardium scaffolds divided into control and treatment groups. The treatment groups used decellularization with SDS (0.5%, 1%) and H2O2 (3%). Scaffolds were evaluated for tensile strength, strain, Young's modulus, and histological properties, including nuclear density, collagen density, and GAG content. Data were analyzed using statistical methods to compare the effectiveness of each decellularization technique. Results: Histological analysis revealed that all decellularized samples showed no nuclear density, while control samples displayed light nuclear density. Collagen density was light in scaffolds treated with SDS 0.5% and H2O2, while SDS 1% resulted in no collagen presence. GAG density was absent in SDS-treated samples and minimal in H2O2-treated samples. Tensile strength was highest in H2O2-treated scaffolds (24.01 N) and lowest in SDS 0.5%. SDS 1% showed the greatest tensile strain, while H2O2-treated scaffolds had the highest stiffness. Conclusion: The decellularization methods effectively removed cellular components from the bovine pericardium scaffolds, with varying impacts on the extracellular matrix. SDS 1% provided the most elastic scaffold, while H2O2 preserved tensile strength and stiffness. These findings suggest that the choice of decellularization method can be optimized based on the desired mechanical properties of the scaffold for cardiac tissue engineering applications. Further research is needed to evaluate the long-term performance of these scaffolds in clinical settings.

Keywords: Bovine pericardium, Decellularization, Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), Tissue engineering

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