Purinergic ecto-enzymes in human and ovine aortic valves: indicators of bacterial nanocellulose scaffold cellularization
Creators: name: Kutryb-Zając, Barbara
name: Kawecka, Ada
name: Harasim, Gabriela
name: Bieńkowski, Michał
name: Stawarska, Klaudia
name: Urbanowicz, Krzysztof
name: Smoleński, Ryszard T.
name: Kowalik, Maciej M.
name: Kołaczkowska, Magdalena
name: Siondalski, Piotr
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2025
Subjects: subject: Biochemistry
subject: Space Science
subject: Genetics
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Biotechnology
subject: Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Computational Biology

description: Purinergic signalling pathways play a vital role in the biological functions of the aortic valve (AV) through nucleotide and adenosine-dependent receptor effects. This study focused on characterizing a side-specific purinergic cascade in human non-stenotic and stenotic AVs, ovine native AVs and a novel bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) bio-prosthesis in an ovine model. Human stenotic AVs were collected during replacement surgeries, while non-stenotic AVs came from heart transplant patients. Ovine native AVs were sourced from domestic sheep, and the BNC prosthesis was implanted in the ovine aorta for six months, with hemodynamic monitoring throughout. Biochemical assessments revealed a beneficial ecto-enzyme pattern in non-stenotic and native AVs, contrasting with a detrimental pattern in stenotic valves. The BNC prosthesis demonstrated significantly lower nucleotide conversion activities than native valves and displayed increased peripheral blood mononuclear cell adhesion on its aortic surface. These findings suggest that nucleotide-converting ecto-enzymes could serve as markers for the biological activity of AV prostheses, highlighting the need for further studies to enhance the cellularization of BNC prostheses, potentially through adenosine-releasing scaffold modifications. Ecto-enzymes engaged in nucleotide metabolism are present on both the aortic and ventricular surfaces of the native human and ovine aortic valves.After implantation into the ovine model, the activities of nucleotide conversions were several times less on the surface of the explanted bacterial nanocellulose scaffold than in the native valve.These activities corresponded with connective tissue stroma and an endothelial layer on the scaffold.Nucleotide-converting enzymes may indicate the biological activity of aortic valve bio-prostheses.Further studies are needed to promote the effective cellularization of bacterial nanocellulose scaffolds. Ecto-enzymes engaged in nucleotide metabolism are present on both the aortic and ventricular surfaces of the native human and ovine aortic valves. After implantation into the ovine model, the activities of nucleotide conversions were several times less on the surface of the explanted bacterial nanocellulose scaffold than in the native valve. These activities corresponded with connective tissue stroma and an endothelial layer on the scaffold. Nucleotide-converting enzymes may indicate the biological activity of aortic valve bio-prostheses. Further studies are needed to promote the effective cellularization of bacterial nanocellulose scaffolds.