indium-oxine and Leukopenia

Approximately 90% of endothelial cells that are seeded or cultured onto vascular prostheses are lost from the flow surface within 24 hours of implantation. To determine the contribution of leukocytes to endothelial cell loss, 111In-labeled, cultured canine jugular venous endothelial cells were grown to confluence on fibronectin-coated polyester elastomer tubes measuring 4 mm inner diameter and 30 mm in length. Autogenous cell-lined tubes were implanted as bilateral carotid replacement grafts in six dogs made leukopenic by cyclophosphamide. Similar unilateral grafts were placed in 12 control dogs. Grafts were removed and perfusion-fixed from six control animals after 2 hours of in vivo arterial perfusion and from the other six animals after 6 hours of perfusion. One graft was removed and perfusion-fixed from each leukopenic animal after 2 hours of implantation and the other after 6 hours. Attachment of endothelial cells to the grafts was measured by indium-labeling technique. Retention of endothelium on grafts removed after 2 hours was measured by planimetric counting with scanning electron microscopy and on those removed after 6 hours by radioisotope quantification. Endothelial cell retention after 2 hours was 37.6% +/- 27.0% in control dogs and 97.0% +/- 3.4% in leukopenic animals (p less than 0.0007). After 6 hours retention was 35.9% +/- 23.2% in control animals and 86.5% +/- 6.0% in leukopenic animals (p less than 0.0009). Leukocyte surface activity was present in less than 1% of the leukopenic dogs compared with 8.5% of the other in vivo midgrafts after 2 hours. These results suggest that leukocytes play a significant role in the loss of seeded endothelium from vascular prostheses.

Topics: Animals; Blood Vessel Prosthesis; Carotid Arteries; Cells, Cultured; Dogs; Endothelium; Indium Radioisotopes; Leukocytes; Leukopenia; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Organometallic Compounds; Oxyquinoline; Time Factors