Clinical Impact of Cryopreservation on Split Thickness Skin Grafts in the Porcine Model
Abstract
Vital, genetically engineered, porcine xenografts represent a promising alternative to human cadaveric allografts (HCA) in the treatment of severe burns. However, their clinical value would be significantly enhanced if preservation and long-term storage—without the loss of cellular viability—were feasible. The objective of this study was to examine the direct impact of cryopreservation and the length of storage on critical in vivo and in vitro parameters, necessary for a successful, potentially equivalent substitute to HCA. In this study, vital, porcine skin grafts, continuously cryopreserved for more than 7 years were compared side-by-side to otherwise identically prepared skin grafts stored for only 15 minutes. Two major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-controlled donor–recipient pairs received surgically created deep-partial wounds and subsequent grafting with split-thickness porcine skin grafts, differentiated only by the duration of storage. Clinical and histological outcomes, as well as quantification of cellular viability via a series of 3-4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays, were assessed. No statistically significant differences were observed between skin grafts cryopreserved for 15 minutes vs 7 years. Parametric distinctions between xenografts stored for short- vs long-term durations could not be ascertained across independent clinical, histological, or in vitro evaluative methods. The results of this study validate the ability to reliably preserve, store, and retain the essential metabolic activity of porcine tissues after cryopreservation. Plentiful, safe, and readily accessible inventories of vital xenografts represent an advantageous solution to numerous limitations associated with HCA, in the treatment of severe burns.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Sep 06, 2019
- Source ID
- 10.1093/jbcr/irz145
Entities
People
- Alexandre G Lellouch
- Amon-ra Gama
- Angelo A. Leto Barone
- Bo Overschmidt
- Curtis L. Cetrulo, Jr
- Ivy Rosales
- Krysta Moulton
- Laurence Zhu
- Paul W Holzer
- Rod Monroy
- Zhi Yang Ng
Organizations
- Geisel School of Medicine
- Johns Hopkins University
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- National Institutes of Health
- United States Department of Defense