Anastomotic stenosis of bioengineered trachea grafts is driven by transforming growth factor β1-induced signaling, proinflammatory macrophages, and delayed epithelialization

Anastomotic stenosis caused by hypertrophic granulation tissue often develops in response to orthotopically implanted bioengineered tracheal grafts. To determine mechanisms responsible for the development and persistence of this granulation tissue, we looked for changes in gene expression from tissue specimens from the graft-native interface. RNA was isolated from paraffin-embedded tissue samples of the anastomotic sites of orthotopically implanted bioengineered tracheal grafts of 9 animals. Tissue samples were binned into 3 groups based on degree of stenosis: no stenosis (