Utilization of Natural Detergent Potassium Laurate for Decellularization in Lung Bioengineering

Perfusion decellularization by detergents is used to harvest native organ scaffolds with delicate three-dimensional structures from the natural extracellular matrix (ECM). However, detergents often damage ECM proteins, disrupting the reseeding of cells during the bioengineering process. In this study, we analyzed the ability of the natural soap potassium laurate (PL), generated from a natural fatty acid, to act as a detergent for lung bioengineering. Harvested rat lungs were decellularized by PL or the conventional detergent sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The results indicated that PL could remove cells and DNA. Moreover, PL-decellularized lungs showed obviously improved preservation of architecture, with elastin microfibrils, sulfated glycosaminoglycans, and ECM proteins, compared with that with SDS. Mesenteric implanted PL-decellularized scaffolds demonstrated significantly reduced inflammatory reactions compared with SDS-decellularized scaffolds. In vitro, rat lung microvascular epithelial cell (RLMVEC) proliferation and survival rates were increased by coculturing with minced PL-decellularized scaffolds but not minced SDS-decellularized scaffolds. After recellularization using RLMVECs and adipogenic stem/stromal cells, recellularized cells uniformly distributed in PL-decellularized scaffolds but not in SDS-decellularized scaffolds. After the transplantation of bioengineered lungs, lung congestion was obviously reduced with PL-decellularized bioengineered tissues. Overall, our findings suggest that PL is very well suited for organ bioengineering. Impact Statement Recent advances in tissue engineering using decellularized organ scaffolds have expanded the possibilities for organ replacement therapy. However, detergent-based decellularization itself damages the extracellular matrix (ECM), which results in failure associated with the transplanted bioengineered organ. This study determined that potassium laurate (PL), a natural detergent, significantly reduces lung ECM damage during the decellularization process compared with protocols using sodium dodecyl sulfate. PL-decellularized lungs showed better microarchitecture preservation and low biological reactions after subcutaneous implantation. PL-decellularized scaffolds supported rat lung endothelial cell attachment/proliferation and the bioengineered lungs significantly reduced lung congestion after transplantation.