RESUMO
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors and calcium channel blockers have antiatherogenic effects; however, their mechanisms remain to be elucidated. This study examined the effect of cerivastatin and/or nifedipine on the endothelial dysfunction in porcine balloon-injured coronary arteries. Normal male pigs were randomly divided into the following four groups: control, cerivastatin (1 mg/kg/d PO), nifedipine (4 mg/kg/d PO), and their combination (n = 10 each). We started the treatments 3 days before balloon injury in the proximal left coronary arteries and continued for 4 weeks after the procedure. Then, we examined endothelial vasodilator functions ex vivo in organ chambers and in vitro by Western blotting for eNOS expression. Endothelium-dependent relaxations to serotonin, but not those to bradykinin or the calcium ionophore A23187 or endothelium-independent relaxations to sodium nitroprusside, were significantly impaired by balloon injury. The monotherapy with cerivastatin or nifedipine partially improved, and their combination supernormalized the relaxations to serotonin without affecting those to bradykinin or A23187 or endothelium-independent relaxations to sodium nitroprusside. The expression of eNOS was significantly reduced by balloon injury and normalized by the combination therapy. These results indicate that the combination therapy improves endothelial dysfunction after balloon injury, in which the up-regulation of eNOS may be involved.
Assuntos
Vasos Coronários/efeitos dos fármacos , Endotélio Vascular/efeitos dos fármacos , Nifedipino/farmacologia , Piridinas/farmacologia , Administração Oral , Animais , Análise Química do Sangue , Western Blotting , Bradicinina/farmacologia , Calcimicina/farmacologia , Cateterismo/efeitos adversos , Cateterismo/métodos , Angiografia Coronária/métodos , Vasos Coronários/lesões , Vasos Coronários/fisiopatologia , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Quimioterapia Combinada , Endotélio Vascular/lesões , Endotélio Vascular/fisiopatologia , Inibidores de Hidroximetilglutaril-CoA Redutases/administração & dosagem , Inibidores de Hidroximetilglutaril-CoA Redutases/farmacologia , Inibidores de Hidroximetilglutaril-CoA Redutases/uso terapêutico , Técnicas In Vitro , Masculino , Nifedipino/administração & dosagem , Nifedipino/uso terapêutico , Doadores de Óxido Nítrico/farmacologia , Óxido Nítrico Sintase Tipo III/metabolismo , Nitroprussiato/farmacologia , Piridinas/administração & dosagem , Piridinas/uso terapêutico , Serotonina/farmacologia , Suínos , Vasodilatação/efeitos dos fármacos , Vasodilatadores/administração & dosagem , Vasodilatadores/farmacologia , Vasodilatadores/uso terapêuticoRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: We recently demonstrated that Rho-kinase, an effector of the small GTPase Rho, is substantially involved in the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis. In this study, we examined whether Rho-kinase is also involved in in-stent restenosis and if so, what mechanism is involved. METHODS AND RESULTS: Pigs underwent stent implantation in the left coronary artery with or without administration of fasudil (30 mg/kg per day orally), a specific Rho-kinase inhibitor, starting 2 days before the procedure for a duration of 4 weeks. On day 28, reductions in coronary diameter and neointimal formation associated with macrophage accumulation, collagen deposition, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 expression were noted at the stent site, and all were significantly suppressed by fasudil. On day 7, fasudil significantly increased the frequency of TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells, while it tended to reduce that of bromodeoxyuridine-positive proliferating cells in the neointima. Western blot analysis on day 7 demonstrated that phosphorylations of the ezrin/radixin/moesin family (a marker of Rho-kinase activity in vivo) and protein expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1and bcl-2 were upregulated at the stent site and were significantly suppressed by fasudil. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that long-term inhibition of Rho-kinase suppresses in-stent neointimal formation by multiple mechanisms, including reduced vascular inflammation, enhanced apoptosis, and decreased collagen deposition.