INNOVATIONS AND FUTURE PROSPECTS IN BIOENGINEERED HEART VALVES: A REVIEW OF ALTERNATIVES TO MECHANICAL AND BIOPROSTHETIC VALVES

ABSTRACT

Heart valve disease remains a critical global health challenge, contributing substantially to morbidity and mortality. Conventional treatment options, including mechanical and bioprosthetic valves, are limited by significant drawbacks. Mechanical valves require lifelong anticoagulation therapy to mitigate thromboembolic risk, increasing bleeding complications. Bioprosthetic valves, although more biocompatible, demonstrate limited durability due to structural deterioration, often leading to reoperation. Recent advancements in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine have fostered the development of bioengineered heart valves as promising alternatives. These valves integrate living cells with biodegradable scaffolds and employ techniques such as decellularized xenografts, synthetic polymer scaffolds, and 3D bioprinting to replicate native valve architecture and function. Stem cell technologies, including mesenchymal and induced pluripotent stem cells, enhance regenerative capacity, enabling self-repair and growth potential, particularly advantageous for pediatric patients. Preclinical and emerging clinical data indicate improved biocompatibility, reduced thrombogenicity, and enhanced mechanical durability compared to traditional prostheses. However, challenges including scalable manufacturing, standardization of fabrication protocols, and regulatory approval processes continue to hinder widespread clinical application. This review synthesizes recent innovations, evaluates their clinical potential, and identifies current limitations and future research directions. Continued interdisciplinary efforts are essential to translate bioengineered heart valves into viable patient-specific therapies, with the potential to revolutionize cardiovascular care and improve long-term outcomes.

АННОТАЦИЯ

Заболевания сердечных клапанов остаются одной из серьёзных глобальных проблем здравоохранения, существенно способствуя заболеваемости и смертности. Традиционные методы лечения, включая механические и биопротезные клапаны, имеют значительные ограничения. Механические клапаны требуют пожизненной антикоагулянтной терапии для снижения риска тромбоэмболии, что увеличивает вероятность кровотечений. Биопротезные клапаны, хотя и обладают лучшей биосовместимостью, характеризуются ограниченной долговечностью из-за структурных повреждений, часто приводящих к повторным операциям. Недавние достижения в тканевой инженерии и регенеративной медицине способствовали развитию биоинженерных сердечных клапанов как перспективной альтернативы. Эти клапаны объединяют живые клетки с биоразлагаемыми каркасами и используют методы, такие как декацеллюляризация ксеногенных трансплантатов, синтетические полимерные каркасы и 3D-биопечать, чтобы воспроизвести структуру и функцию нативных клапанов. Технологии стволовых клеток, включая мезенхимальные и индуцированные плюрипотентные стволовые клетки, усиливают регенеративный потенциал, обеспечивая самовосстановление и способность к росту, что особенно важно для педиатрических пациентов. Предклинические и первые клинические данные свидетельствуют об улучшенной биосовместимости, снижении тромбогенности и повышенной механической прочности по сравнению с традиционными протезами. Тем не менее, такие проблемы, как масштабируемое производство, стандартизация протоколов изготовления и процессы регуляторного одобрения, продолжают препятствовать широкому клиническому применению. Этот обзор обобщает последние инновации, оценивает их клинический потенциал и выделяет текущие ограничения и направления будущих исследований. Продолжение междисциплинарных усилий необходимо для трансляции биоинженерных сердечных клапанов в жизнеспособные персонализированные терапии, способные революционизировать кардиологическую помощь и улучшить долгосрочные результаты.

Keywords: Bioengineered heart valves, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, mechanical valves, bioprosthetic valves.

Ключевые слова: биоинженерные сердечные клапаны, тканевая инженерия, регенеративная медицина, механические клапаны, биопротезные клапаны.

Introduction

Heart valve disease (HVD) affects millions worldwide, causing significant morbidity and mortality [6,16]. The human heart has four valves regulating blood flow; dysfunction can lead to critical cardiovascular complications requiring intervention [6]. Mechanical valves, made of durable synthetic materials like carbon and titanium, offer longevity but necessitate lifelong anticoagulation to prevent thromboembolism, increasing bleeding risk [6,8,17]. Bioprosthetic valves, derived from animal (xenografts) or human (allografts) tissues, provide better biocompatibility but suffer limited durability due to structural deterioration, often requiring reoperation [1,18].

Recent progress in bioengineering and regenerative medicine has enabled the development of bioengineered heart valves, which combine living cells, biodegradable scaffolds, and tissue regeneration techniques to create durable, functional valves adaptable to physiological conditions [3,4,19]. These valves can promote self-repair, reduce immune rejection, and grow with pediatric patients [7,20]. This review examines recent innovations, evaluates clinical potential, and discusses challenges in cardiovascular medicine.

Materials and methods

This review article synthesizes current evidence from experimental studies, clinical trials, and systematic reviews on bioengineered heart valves. Experimental investigations involving decellularized xenografts, synthetic polymer scaffolds such as polycaprolactone and polyglycolic acid, and 3D bioprinting techniques were analyzed for their structural integrity, biocompatibility, and regenerative potential [1,4,6]. Clinical trial data were examined to assess valve performance, durability, and clinical adaptability [5]. Comparative analyses evaluated bioengineered valves against mechanical and bioprosthetic valves focusing on thrombogenic risk, immune response, and longevity [1,8]. Additionally, computational modeling studies—including finite element analysis and computational fluid dynamics—were reviewed to understand hemodynamic performance and mechanical stress distribution [2,6]. Histological and biomechanical evaluations assessing tissue integration, cell viability, and mechanical properties complemented the analysis [3,7]. This comprehensive methodology ensures that conclusions are supported by robust, multidisciplinary scientific data and reflects the current state of bioengineered heart valve development.

Results and Discussions

Bioengineered heart valves exhibit significant advantages over traditional mechanical and bioprosthetic valves. Experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated enhanced biocompatibility, with improved host tissue integration and reduced immune rejection, leading to decreased dependence on lifelong anticoagulation therapy [1,8,26]. Furthermore, bioengineered valves show substantially lower thrombogenicity compared to mechanical prostheses, mitigating the risk of thromboembolic complications [8,27]. Decellularized xenografts and stem cell-engineered valves possess the ability to undergo adaptive remodeling and growth, an essential feature for pediatric patients requiring valves that accommodate somatic growth [1,7,28]. Advances in 3D bioprinting technologies enable the fabrication of patient-specific valves with superior mechanical strength and enhanced cell viability, potentially improving durability and functional performance [2,3,29].

Despite these promising findings, several challenges remain before widespread clinical adoption can be achieved. Scaling up manufacturing processes to produce bioengineered valves consistently and at commercial volumes presents technical hurdles. Standardization of fabrication protocols and ensuring reproducibility are also critical issues [5,14,30]. Regulatory pathways remain complex, requiring extensive preclinical and clinical validation to meet safety and efficacy standards. Moreover, long-term clinical data on valve performance are limited, necessitating further rigorous investigation [31]. Computational modeling studies have supported favorable hemodynamic profiles of bioengineered valves; however, translation of these findings into clinical practice requires continued validation [6,32].

Overall, bioengineered heart valves represent a transformative step forward in cardiovascular medicine. Their potential to overcome limitations of existing valve replacements and enable personalized, regenerative therapies offers significant promise for improving patient outcomes.

Conclusion

Bioengineered heart valves offer a promising alternative to mechanical and bioprosthetic valves, combining superior biocompatibility, reduced thrombogenic risk, and growth potential. Advances in tissue engineering, stem cell biology, and 3D bioprinting facilitate development of valves mimicking native structure, especially benefiting pediatric patients. Despite encouraging progress, challenges remain in manufacturing scalability, durability, and regulatory approval. Continued research, optimization, and clinical trials are vital to validate safety and efficacy. With sustained innovation, bioengineered valves could revolutionize heart valve replacement, providing durable, patient-specific solutions that enhance clinical outcomes and quality of life.

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