Drs. Steven Arnoczky and Cheryl Swenson examined tissue and cells used in a study Monday that has important implications for the treatment of transplants.
Arnoczky and Swenson, along with other researchers in MSU's Laboratory for Comparative Orthopaedic Research, have conducted a study that shows freeze-drying tissues and bones for transplants might not inactivate viruses as efficiently as previously thought. Freeze-drying tissues and bones, also known as lyophilization, once was believed to be an effective method of inactivating viruses such as HIV.
But the MSU researchers said their study suggests otherwise.
"There was an article written back in 1985 based on one individual who had donated a bunch of tissues and subsequently was found to have HIV," said Arnoczky, a professor of surgery, noting that those who received freeze-dried tissues from the donor did not contract the virus. "People indirectly came to the conclusion that freeze-drying, or lyophilization, must be able to inactivate the virus. We never really believed that."
But with the help of a $40,000 grant awarded last summer through the College of Osteopathic Medicine, the team of researchers was able to conduct a four-month study on the topic.
By using tissues infected with feline leukemia virus, which is biologically similar to HIV, the researchers examined the differences between freeze-dried samples and those that were simply "fresh-frozen," or tissues placed in a freezer without dehydration.
"We used tissues in replicates of five - tissues that were just fresh-frozen and those that were freeze dried, both tendon and bone," said Swenson, an associate professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine. "We found there was no difference."
The team's paper highlighting the study's methods and findings caught the attention of the American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine. The organization named the paper the recipient of the 2004 Cabaud Award, a distinguished recognition to be given this summer at the organization's annual conference.
While contracting a virus through a transplant is rare - about one case per 2 million transplants - Arnozky said his laboratory's research still will affect the sterilization methods for transplants.
"People probably will be using freeze-dried tissues less," he said. "You don't have this sense of false security; it will stimulate them to make sure their tissue banks are doing all the state-of-the-art techniques to screen the donors."
