ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the effect of a triptolide-eluting stent(TES)on neointimal hyperplasia in response to vascular injury,inflammation and safety to prevent restenosis after angioplasty.Method Twelve pigs were randomly divided into three groups and received either a bare metal stent(BMS),a sirolimus-eluting stent (SES)or a TES.Each pig was treated with antiplatelet drugs after angioplasty.Biochemistry,vascular morphometry,histopathology and immunohistochemistry were analyzed at 12 weeks after angioplasty.Results The injury scores of the blood vessel were similar in all three groups.There were no differences in minimal lumen diameter or lumen area between the TES[(5.13 ±0.46)mm2;(2.65 ± 0.21)mm]and SES[(5.01±0.54)mm2;(2.65±0.25)mm]groups,but they were significantly(P＜0.01)larger than those in the BMS group[(3.76±0.61)mm2;(2.15 ±0.18)mm].The neointimal area in the TES group was smaller than that in the BMS group,but was similar to that in the SES group.The expression of VEGF,ICAM-1 and α-actinin were significantly lower in the TES group than in the BMS group.In all groups,the proliferation on both edges of the stents was insignificant.No toxicity was found in the TES group.Conclusions TES inhibits neointimal proliferation and the expression of inflammatory factors in pigs.In this study,TES safely and effectively prevented restenosis for 12 weeks.