Abstract: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is one of the conventional treatments of coronary artery disease. Though the artery grafts have its own superiority, autologous great saphenous vein is still commonly used. Ten years after operation, half of the vein grafts will be occluded and half of the remainder will often undergo severe pathological conditions. The poor long term patency of vein grafts has become the bottleneck of the efficiency of CABG. The restenosis of vein grafts resulting from neointima and atherosclerosis has become an urgent problem waiting to be resolved. As the study on the molecular mechanism and pathophysiology of the vein grafts disease develops, many therapeutic schedules have been made, including drug therapy, external stent, expanding solution and gene therapy. By contrast, gene therapy has a broader prospect. This article will have a review on the prevention of restenosis of the vein grafts after CABG.
Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a major treatment method for coronary artery disease，but postoperative vein graft restenosis remains an unsolved problem. Research has confirmed that perioperative antiplatelet therapy can effectively reduce early coronary artery bypass graft thrombosis. Lipid-lowering therapy can significantly improve long-term patency of saphenous vein grafts after CABG. In addition，gene therapy provides a new direction to prevent vein graft restenosis after CABG.
Objective To review various kinds of therapeutic methods for restenosis after reconstructive vascular operation. Methods The literatures about prevention and treatment for restenosis after reconstructive vascular operation were reviewed. Results Therapeutic methods for vascular restenosis include gene therapy, drug treatment, placing external stent around the vein graft and physical therapy. The methods of gene therapy include transferring genes that inhibit the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) and inactivating genes that promote the proliferation of VSMC through technology of antisensenucleic acids or RNA interference. Conclusion Current treatment for restenosis after reconstructive varscular operation have both advantages and disadvantages, some of which are still being disputed. With the development of the technology of molecular biology, gene therapy would be the most effective therapy method for vascular restenosis.
Objective To find out the follow-up results of early in-stent restenosis (ISRS) and develop effective way to improve clinical treatment and precaution of restenosis. Methods The data from a registry of 51 consecutive patients who underwent elective carotid artery angioplasty and stenting （CAS） at our institution between Jan. 2003 and Sept. 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Complete data for 37 of these patients were available. All patients underwent duplex ultrasound scanning in follow-up period, which was used to determine the degree of restenosis. Results CAS was performed in 37 patients， 8.1% (3/37) were women. Mean age was (70.5±5.9) years. Mean time of follow-up was (12.2±7.7) months. Sixteen (43.2%) caces of ISRS （gt;30%） were found by color duplex ultrasound scanning， but only 1 (2.7%) ISRS was found gt;50%; 3 female patients had minor ISRS. Among all factors, female patients had higher incidence of ISRS than male (P=0.038); balloon-expanding after stenting and accompanying with other artherosclerosis of periphery vessel had correlation about ISRS （P=0.037, P=0.016）. Conclusion The severe restenosis rate is acceptable. Female patients were more likely to have ISRS. Balloon-expanding maybe have effect on reducing incidence of ISRS and controlling artherosclerosis was helpful.
【Abstract】 Objective To reduce restenosis in vein grafts after coronary artery bypass grafting, to investigate theeffect of human tissue factor pathway inhibitor(TFPI) gene del ivery on neointima formation. Methods The eukaryotic expressed plasmid vector pCMV-(Kozak) TFPI was constructed. Forty-eight Japanese white rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups with 16 rabbits in each group: TFPI group, empty plasmid control group and empty control group. Animal model of common carotid artery bypass grafting was constructed. Before anastomosis, vein endothel iocytes were transfected with cationic l iposome containing the plasmid pCMV- (Kozak) TFPI (400 μg) by pressurizing infusion (30 min) in TFPI group. In empty plasmid control group, vector pCMV- (Kozak) TFPI was replaced by empty plasmid pCMV (400 μg). In empty control group, those endothel iocytes were not interfered. After operation, vein grafts were harvested at 3 days for immunohistochemical, RTPCR and Western-blot analyses of exogenous gene expression and at 30 days for histopathology measurement of intimal areas, media areas and calculation of intimal/media areas ratio. Luminal diameter and vessel wall thickness were also measured byvessel Doppler ultrasonography and cellular category of neointima was analyzed by transmission electron microscope at 30 days after operation. Results Human TFPI mRNA and protein were detected in TFPI group. The mean luminal diameter of the TFPI group, empty plasmid control group and empty control group was (2.68 ± 0.32) mm, (2.41 ± 0.23) mm and (2.38 ± 0.21) mm respectively. There were statistically significant differences between TFPI group and control groups (P lt; 0.05). The vessel wall thickness of the TFPI group, empty plasmid control group and empty control group was (1.09 ± 0.11) mm, (1.28 ± 0.16) mm and (1.34 ± 0.14) mm respectively. There were statistically significant differences between TFPI group and other control groups (P lt; 0.01). The mean intimal areas, the ratio of the intimal/media areas of the TFPI group were (0.62 ± 0.05) mm2and 0.51 ± 0.08 respectively, which were reduced compared with those of the two control groups(P lt; 0.05). The mean media areas had no significant differences among three groups (P gt; 0.05). Through transmission electron microscope analyses, no smoothmuscle cells were seen in neointima of TFPI group in many visual fields, but smooth muscle cells were found in neointima of two control groups. Conclusion Human TFPI gene transfection reduced intimal thickness in vein grafts.
Abstract: Objective To investigate the effect of keeping implanted vein graft from restenosis by local application of paclitaxel. Methods Ninetysix New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into three groups, control group (n=32), group Ⅰ(n=32), group Ⅱ(n=32). The vein graft stenosis model was made in all rabbits. In group Ⅰand group Ⅱ, 1μg and 8μg of paclitaxel was applied locally in pluronic gelatin respectively. There were no local treatment in control group. Grafts were harvested at 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks and underwent morphological analysis as well as immunohistochemical analysis. Results The intimal thickness in group Ⅱ were significantly decreased compared to those in control group at 1,2,4, and 6 weeks after operation (30.10±4.50μm vs. 48.20±9.16μm, 40.70±6.91μm vs. 54.20±8.67μm, 54.70±7.11μm vs. 68.60±13.72μm, and 68.70±8.24μm vs. 76.40±12.98μm, Plt;0.05). The CD8 positive cells and metallothionein positive cells in group Ⅰand group Ⅱ were significantly decreased compared to those in control group (Plt;0.05). Conclusion The results suggest that perivascular application of paclitaxel inhibits neointimal hyperplasia of vein grafts in a rabbit model, and paclitaxel may have a therapeutic potential for the treatment of vein graft disease.
ObjectiveTo observe the effects of endovascular radiation (ER) on the proliferation and apoptosis of medial smooth muscle cells (SMC) and to discuss the possible mechanisms of radiation in the prevention of vascular restenosis (RS) in rabbits after carotid endarterectomy (CEA).MethodsForty rabbits undergoing CEA were randomly divided into four groups (each group=10) and given a radiation dose of 0, 10, 20 and 40 Gy 32P respectively. Rabbits were killed on the 3rd, 7th, 14th, 28th and 56th day after operation. The specimens were collected and histopathologic examinations were done.ResultsProliferation apparently occurred in the intima and media of carotid the lumen became narrow in the control group on the 14 th, 28 th and 56 th day after operation. While in the radiation groups, proliferation was apparently suppressed and the lumen was much less narrowed (P＜0.05). The apoptosis rate of SMCs and PCNA positive cells increased on the 3rd day after operation and reached the peak on the 7th day. There was statistical difference between the ER groups and control group (P＜0.01). The effects were much more evident in 20 Gy and 40 Gy groups compared with 10 Gy group (P＜0.01).ConclusionER may prevent RS by suppressing SMC proliferation and migration as well as inducing SMC apoptosis. The effects are positively correlated with radiation doses. SMC proliferation and apoptosis occur in the early period after balloon injury, while hyperplasia of intima and medial happens later.
Abstract: Objective To determine the effects of oxidative stress reaction on intima hyperplasia after autologous vein grafting. Methods Seventy female SpragueDawley(SD) rats were randomly divided into a control group(n=10) and an experimental group (n=60). The experimental group was then divided into six time points of one day; one, two, four, and six weeks; and two months after surgery; with 10 rats for each time point. Autologous vein grafting models were established. At each time point the designated rats were anaesthetized, and the grafts were isolated and stained with HE. The same length of external jugular vein was cut from each rat in the control group. The neointima to tunica media area ratios (I/M) were measured with acomputerized digital image analysis system. Nuclear factorkappa B (NF-κB) and copper zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) were detected byimmunohistochemistry. The concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum was analyzed by colorimetry. Results In the control group, expression levels of NF-κB and CuZnSOD were low. In the experimental group, expression of NF-κB increased after the operation and peaked two weeks later. The plateau was sustained for about one month, and then the level of expression declined gradually, reaching the baseline at the twomonth time point. The expression of CuZnSOD increased gradually after the operation and peaked one week later, then declined to the normal level after 2-3 weeks at the plateau. In the control group, the concentration of serum MDA was 4.966±1.346 nmol/ml. In the experimental -group, the-MDA concentration increased dramatically after the operation, then-declined from its highest level at the oneday time point (21.161±2.174 nmol/ml) to the normal level at two months (6.208±2.908 nmol/ml) after the operation (P＜0.05). In the control group, I/M was 0.2096±0.0253, while in the experimental group, it was higher one week after the operation (0.6806±0.0737) and peaked at four weeks (1.4527±0.0824), falling to 1.0353±00656 at six weeks and 0.9583±0.0516 attwo months (P＜0.05) for the experimental and control groups). Conclusion Endothelial cell injury initiates an oxidative stress reaction after autologous vein grafting and augments inflammation by activating NF-κB, thus playing an important role in inducing restenosis of the grafted vein.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of drug-eluting stents in treating patients with coronary artery disease compared with bare metal stents. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, CBMdisc and other databases of clinical trials were searched for meta-analysis and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) both in Chinese and English language. Conference abstracts, personal reference lists, reference lists of retrieved studies and some websites were also searched. Statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 4.2 software. Results Meta-analysis was performed on the results of 25 RCTs with 5 different drug-eluting stents. Seven trials evaluated efficacy and safety of sirolimus-eluting stent, the results of meta-analysis indicated that SES decreased rates in stent restenosis compared with bare metal stent, and therefore the target lesion revascularization and adverse cardiac event rates, no “catch up” were found. Eight trials compared a paclitaxel-eluting stent with bare metal stent, similar results were found, i.e. decreased stent restenosis rate, target lesion revascularization and adverse cardiac event rates in patients receiving paclitaxel-eluting stent compared with bare metal stent. Three trials compared CYPHERTM and TAXUS stents head to head, and the combined analysis showed a superiority of CYPHERTM to TAXUS. But available data can not draw a conclusion with regard to the effect of drug-eluting stents on mortality, occurrence of MI or stent thrombosis. Everolimus-eluting stent had the same performance as these two drug-eluting stents above, but because of a small sample size, no further conclusion can be made. Actinomycin D eluting stents and 7-hexanoyltaxol-eluting stents increased restenosis rate and stent thrombosis rate respectively. Poor performance limited further clinical trials of these two stents. Conclusions Sirolimus-eluting stent and polymetric paclitaxel-eluting stent are efficient and safe in patients with coronary artery atherosclerosis. Sirolimus eluting stent CYPHERTM seems better than paclitaxel eluting stent TAXUS.
Abstract:Objective To evaluate the effect of external stents on preventing vein graft neointima formation and medial thickening with non-restrictive macro porous polyester stent around porcine vein grafts. Methods Studies were performed by using ＂white race＂ pigs （n= 10） weight 25-30 kg. All the animals underwent bilateral saphenous vein into carotid artery bypass grafting. In each animal, a maeroporous stent was placed around a graft on one side and a control （unstented） graft on the opposite side. The polyester stent was shaped to cover both anastomoses completely. The size of the stem allowed unrestricted expansion of the graft in initial response to arterial pressure. After 35 days of surgery,all animals were taken to remove the grafts. Graft wall dimensions, platelet- derived growth factor （PDGF） expression and cell proliferation using proliferating cell nuclear antigen （PCNA） were measured on histological sections. Results Stents significantly reduced neointimal thickening （0. 4872 ± 0. 0706 mm vs. 0. 2259± 0. 0553mm,P〈0. 01）and medial thickening （0. 6246±0. 0859mm vs. 0. 4201±0. 0615mm,P〈0. 01）. Stents significantly reduced the percentage of cells expressing PDGF and PCNA. Media, intimal PCNA index was reduced from 7. 980/00± 4. 060/00 to 3.35±0.95%（P〈0.01）, PDGF index was reduced from 9.47%±5.35% to 2.67%± 0.97% （P 〈0. 01）. Conclusion External non-restrictive polyester stent can significantly inhibit neointimal formation and medial thickening, and may prevent late vein grafts restenosis.