Sodium lignosulfonate cross-linked bioprosthetic heart valve materials for enhanced cytocompatibility, improved hemocompatibility, and reduced calcification

Bioprosthetic heart valves (BHVs) are widely used to treat valvular disease. Almost all commercial BHVs are treated with glutaraldehyde (Glut). However, Glut-treated BHVs still have problems such as cytotoxicity, thrombosis, and calcification. This study focused on enhancing the performance of BHVs by cross-linking porcine pericardium (PP) with sodium lignosulfonate (SLS). Compared with Glut-PP, Human umbilical vein endothelial cells proliferation in the SLS-PP increased 13.3-fold at day 5, the adhesion of serum albumin and fibrinogen in SLS-PP decreased by 5.4-fold and 4.3-fold, and the calcification of SLS-PP decreased from 112.64 μg/mg to 13.49 μg/mg. SLS cross-linked PP(SLS-PP) was similar to Glut cross-linked PP(Glut-PP) in mechanical and enzymatic degradation resistance. In conclusion, SLS is a potential alternative for glutaraldehyde as a new cross-linker for BHVs. •Sodium lignosulfonate was used for the first time to cross-link porcine pericardium.•SLS-PP showed improved cytocompatibility, hemocompatibility, and anti-calcification properties.•SLS-PP had improved endothelial cell proliferation.