A novel anti-calcification method for bioprosthetic heart valves using dopamine-modified alginate

Calcification is one of the main causes for bioprosthetic heart valves (BHVs)' failure. Reported strategies to improve BHVs' anti-calcification properties only target some of risk factors for calcification. In the current study, we demonstrated dopamine-modified alginate coating served as a protected layer for BHVs' anti-calcification. Alginate coating was characterized by infrared spectroscopic analysis, ultraviolet spectrophotometer, and water contact angle test. By both high-calcium and high-phosphorus in vitro calcification model and rat subdermal implant in vivo calcification model, our results showed alginate-coated BHVs' have greatly improved BHVs' anti-calcification performance due to constant ionic exchange of calcium and sodium. Besides, alginate-coated BHVs did not change BHVs' mechanical strength and tissue's shrink temperature. This was the first proof-of-concept study to verify that alginate coating would be a novel method for BHVs' anti-calcification.